Former India opener Gautam Gambhir was named head coach of the country’s cricket team on Tuesday (9), taking over from his former teammate Rahul Dravid.
Dravid, who led India to the T20 World Cup last month, chose not to reapply for the position, allowing Gambhir to step into the role.
? NEWS ?
Mr Gautam Gambhir appointed as Head Coach – Team India (Senior Men).
Mr Gambhir will take charge from the upcoming away series against Sri Lanka where Team India are set to play 3 ODIs & 3 T20Is starting July 27, 2024.
All The Details ? #TeamIndia | @GautamGambhir
— BCCI (@BCCI) July 9, 2024
“It is an absolute honour to serve my tri-colour, my people, my country,” Gambhir, 42, said in a statement issued by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
“I have always taken pride while donning the Indian jersey during my playing days and it is going to be no different when I take up this new role.”
India is my identity and serving my country has been the greatest privilege of my life. I’m honoured to be back, albeit wearing a different hat. But my goal is the same as it has always been, to make every Indian proud. The men in blue shoulder the dreams of 1.4 billion Indians… pic.twitter.com/N5YyyrhXAI
— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) July 9, 2024
“His appointment as head coach marks a new chapter for Indian cricket,” said BCCI president Roger Binny.
“His experience, dedication, and vision for the game make him the ideal candidate to guide our team forward.
“We are confident that under his leadership, Team India will continue to excel and make the nation proud,” he said.
Gambhir, a former Indian cricketer, is renowned for his significant contributions to the national team. As an opener, he was part of the squads that won the T20 World Cup in 2007 and the 50-overs World Cup in 2011. Gambhir also led the Kolkata Knight Riders to two Indian Premier League titles and later guided them to a third title as a mentor.
Known for his aggressive left-handed batting, he played 242 matches for India across all formats. After retiring from cricket, Gambhir transitioned to politics, joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
He was elected as a Member of Parliament for the East Delhi constituency in the 2019 general elections. In his political career, Gambhir has been vocal about various social and national issues, aiming to bring positive changes to his constituency and the country.
