Gautam Gambhir Frontrunner to Become India's Next Head Coach

Gautam Gambhir, the former Indian cricketer, has emerged as the frontrunner to succeed Rahul Dravid as the head coach of the Indian men's cricket team. According to ESPNcricinfo, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has approached Gambhir to gauge his interest in the position.

Gambhir, 42, has no prior experience as a coach at the international or domestic level. However, he has been involved in coaching roles at two IPL franchises. He served as the mentor of the Lucknow Super Giants in 2022 and 2023, guiding them to the playoffs in both seasons. He then joined the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as their mentor for the 2024 season, where they finished the league stage at the top of the points table.

Gambhir's move to KKR was unexpected, but it is believed that he was persuaded by the franchise's principal owner, Shah Rukh Khan. Gambhir was a key member of India's T20 World Cup-winning team in 2007 and the ODI World Cup-winning team in 2011. He also captained KKR for seven IPL seasons from 2011 to 2017, leading them to two IPL titles in 2012 and 2014.

Dravid, who has been India's head coach since 2021, has informed the BCCI that he will not seek another term. The BCCI has set a deadline of May 27 for applications for the head coach position, a day after the IPL final.

If appointed, Gambhir will be tasked with leading India to success in all three formats of the game. India will be aiming to win the T20 World Cup in 2024, the ODI World Cup in 2027, and the Test Championship in 2025.

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