Gautam Gambhir has ushered in a new era for Indian cricket by assuming the role of head coach for all formats. The former two-time ICC World Cup champion has taken over from Rahul Dravid as the leader of the men’s senior team following the ICC T20 World Cup. Dravid, in his final coaching stint, led Rohit Sharma’s Team India to victory in the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean. During his inaugural press conference as head coach, Gambhir acknowledged the significant challenge of stepping into such prestigious shoes for his second innings with Team India.
Gambhir has taken charge of a highly ‘successful’ Indian team following Dravid’s tenure. Known as The Wall, the iconic batsman Dravid led India to victory in the Asia Cup, while Rohit and his team reached the final of the One Day International (ODI) World Cup at home last year. During Dravid’s leadership, India competed against Australia in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC). The Dravid-coached Team India also reached the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup 2022 before ultimately claiming the prestigious trophy this year. “The most important thing is that they will always have my back. Aim to make it a happy and secure dressing room. I am taking over a very successful team. Runner-ups in WTC and 50-overs World Cup. I have big shoes to fill and looking forward to it,” Gambhir stated during a press conference in Mumbai.
Gambhir confirms India’s new assistant coaches
In the press conference held recently, Gambhir revealed that Abhishek Nayar and Ryan Ten Doeschate have been appointed as assistant coaches for the Indian team. Gambhir has a history of working with Nayar and Ten Doeschate during their time at Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Following his departure from KKR, the two-time Indian Premier League (IPL) winner has now transitioned into his new role with Team India.
Gambhir will lead his first series as head coach during the upcoming white-ball matches between India and Sri Lanka. Suryakumar Yadav has been appointed as the new captain of the T20I team under Gambhir’s leadership. Shubman Gill, the talented superstar, will serve as the vice-captain for both T20Is and ODIs during the Sri Lanka tour. The opening match of the T20I series between Gambhir’s Team India and Sri Lanka is scheduled to take place at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on July 27th.