Gautam Gambhir To Lead As Team India's Head Coach With New Support Staff

Gautam Gambhir is poised to become the head coach of Team India following Rahul Dravid's tenure, which concludes after the T20 World Cup 2024. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to interview Gambhir, the sole applicant for the position, on June 18 via Zoom.

The Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), comprising former cricketers Ashok Malhotra, Jatin Paranjpe, and Sulakshana Naik, will conduct the interview. Reports indicate that Gambhir has already accepted BCCI's offer, contingent upon certain conditions being met.

A BCCI source informed Dainik Bhaskar that Gambhir will replace Dravid after the T20 World Cup. One of Gambhir's stipulations is to have control over selecting his support staff. If this condition is met, several former teammates and coaching colleagues may join the national team.

Currently, Dravid's support staff includes Vikram Rathour (batting coach), Paras Mhambrey (bowling coach), and T Dilip (fielding coach). Their contracts will also end with Dravid's tenure, necessitating new hires for these roles.

According to Cricblogger.com, potential candidates for the support staff include Chandrakanth Pandit, Irfan Pathan, and Jonty Rhodes. Gambhir has previously worked with Pandit during Kolkata Knight Riders' IPL-winning season and shared the bench with Rhodes as a mentor for Lucknow Super Giants in 2022 and 2023.

Additionally, former India wicketkeeper Vijay Dahiya may also join the support staff. Dahiya has strong ties with Gambhir and has worked with him at both KKR and LSG before resigning from his role earlier this year.