Former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir seems to be on the cusp of taking up the India head coach job. Gambhir's name emerged as the frontrunner in the race for the top post after Rahul Dravid decided against extending his stay with the team. Though Gambhir has competition, with former India women's team coach WV Raman, also impressing the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) with his presentation, it's Gambhir who is being touted as the favourite for the role. In fact, a 'farewell shoot' at the Eden Gardens has all but confirmed that Gambhir will be Team India's next head coach.
As per a report in Times Now, a Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) official has confirmed that Gambhir was present at the stadium on Friday for a 'farewell shoot'. "It was a low-key affair, but Gambhir wanted to bid goodbye to his fans with a message and that is why they shot a video at the Eden," the official said on condition of anonymity.
The video was reportedly shot by Gambhir's personal team, and not his IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders. The video reportedly intends to Gambhir's journey at KKR, including his recent stint in IPL 2024 season as the team's mentor.
The video is expected to be released after Gambhir's appointment as Team India's new head coach is made official.
When will the BCCI announce Team India's new head coach?
The BCCI secretary Jay Shah had earlier confirmed that the new head coach will be in charge of Team India's tour of Sri Lanka, which will feature 3 ODIs and 3 T20Is. The Indian team is presently on the tour of Zimbabwe where VVS Laxman, the head of National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, is accompanying them as the head coach.
Rahul Dravid's tenure as the Indian team's head coach ended with the conclusion of the T20 World Cup 2024.