Cricket

Team India Head Coach Gautam Gambhir Visits Kamakhya Temple in GuwahatiAmidst a brief respite from international cricket, Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir embarked on a spiritual pilgrimage to the revered Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati, Assam. Surrounded by security personnel, Gambhir was seen offering prayers and seeking blessings at the ancient temple.Gambhir's visit to the temple signifies a period of introspection and renewal for the Indian team. After a successful tour of Sri Lanka, where India emerged victorious in the T20I series but faced a setback in the ODIs, the team is now preparing for the upcoming Test series against Bangladesh.The tour of Sri Lanka marked Gambhir's debut as head coach of the Indian team. Despite the mixed results, Gambhir has expressed confidence in the team's abilities and is eager to guide them to greater heights.To bolster his coaching staff, Gambhir recently appointed former South African fast bowler Morne Morkel as the team's new bowling coach. Morkel, who played alongside Gambhir at the Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League, brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the Indian team.As the new season approaches, Gambhir and his team are focused on building a strong foundation and achieving success in the upcoming Test series against Bangladesh. The series, which begins on September 19, will be a crucial test for the Indian team as they aim to establish their dominance in the longest format of the game.

With the departure of Rick Ponting as head coach of the Delhi Capitals ahead of the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season, the franchise is reportedly eyeing Yuvraj Singh as his replacement. Yuvraj, a legendary Indian middle-order batter, has limited top-tier coaching experience but is highly regarded for his cricketing acumen and leadership qualities.The Delhi Capitals are keen to replicate the success of the Gujarat Titans, who appointed Ashish Nehra as their head coach last season. Nehra, who was initially linked with a move away from GT, is now expected to remain with the franchise. This has prompted the Capitals to turn their attention to Yuvraj, who is seen as a potential replacement for Ponting.Yuvraj's extensive playing experience, including 40 Tests, 304 ODIs, and 58 T20Is, makes him a valuable asset to any coaching staff. He was a key member of India's victorious campaigns in the 2007 ICC World T20 and the 2011 ODI World Cup.If Yuvraj accepts the role, he will have the support of Sourav Ganguly, who is the Director of Cricket Operations at the Delhi Capitals. Ganguly was initially considered for the coaching position but ultimately decided against it.Yuvraj has unofficially mentored players like Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill, helping them improve their game. His ability to inspire and motivate young players could prove invaluable to the Delhi Capitals.Whether Yuvraj can replicate his success as a player in the coaching role remains to be seen. However, his appointment would undoubtedly add experience and star power to the Delhi Capitals' coaching staff.

Gautam Gambhir's tenure as India's head coach commenced with a mixed bag of results during the Sri Lanka tour. While the team emerged victorious in the T20I series, they succumbed to defeat in the ODIs despite fielding star players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.Gambhir's appointment on July 9, 2024, marked a departure from Rahul Dravid's tenure, which concluded after the T20 World Cup in June. Prior to the official announcement, rumors circulated about a potential hybrid coaching model, with different coaches assigned to different formats.However, the BCCI opted for a traditional approach. BCCI Secretary Jay Shah explained the rationale behind Gambhir's appointment as all-format coach: "We must respect the coach we hire. If Gautam Gambhir expresses interest in coaching in all three formats, who am I to restrict him? Approximately 70% of the players remain consistent across all formats."Shah also emphasized the availability of capable backups for the head coach role: "We have coaches from the NCA. VVS Laxman stepped in when Rahul Dravid took a break."Gambhir's maiden Test assignment as head coach will be a two-match series against Bangladesh next month. Notably, key players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Jasprit Bumrah will not participate in the Duleep Trophy.With the Border Gavaskar Trophy approaching later this year, selectors will closely monitor the performances of players competing in the tournament.

Former Australian Test captain Tim Paine has embarked on a new chapter in his cricketing career, taking the reins as head coach of the Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League (BBL). Paine's appointment comes less than two years after he retired from professional cricket.Paine's coaching journey has been swift. After serving as Jason Gillespie's assistant with the Strikers last season, he has now taken over the top job following Gillespie's departure. The South Australian Cricket Association (SACA) has opted to separate the state and BBL coaching roles, with Ryan Harris recently appointed as South Australia's head coach.Paine has gained valuable coaching experience in recent times. He is currently guiding the NT Strike in the Top End T20 series, and has previously assisted Adam Voges with Australia A, worked with the Under-19 setup, and coached the women's team."I am honored and excited by the opportunity to coach such a well-established and strongly supported club," Paine said. "I believe the Strikers team and the whole of South Australian cricket has huge potential, and I'm looking forward to being part of taking it forward and winning a few trophies."Last season, the Strikers surged into the finals with four consecutive victories, defeating the defending champions Perth Scorchers in the Knockout before bowing out to the eventual winners Brisbane Heat in the Challenger.Paine's international career came to an abrupt end when he resigned as Test captain on the eve of the 2021-22 Ashes series. His first major task as Strikers coach will be overseeing the BBL draft alongside captain Matt Short on September 1. The club has yet to announce any pre-draft signings and will have picks 5, 11, 20, and 29.Rashid Khan, a long-time Strikers player, was expected to return last season but was ruled out due to injury. He will be part of MI Cape Town in the SA20, which overlaps with the BBL in January. It remains to be seen whether he will nominate for the Strikers this year.The Strikers will be bolstered by the availability of Chris Lynn for the entire tournament after he signed a new one-year deal. Lynn had previously left the BBL early to play in the ILT20.

Ryan Harris, a former Australian fast bowler, has been appointed as the new head coach of South Australia's men's cricket team. Harris, who played for South Australia during his playing career, has been serving as the interim head coach since Jason Gillespie's departure earlier this year.Harris' appointment comes after a thorough recruitment process, and he will take over the role full-time immediately as the team prepares for the upcoming season. The decision to split the head coach role for the Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League (BBL) has not yet been confirmed, but it is understood that this is becoming increasingly likely.Harris expressed his excitement and honor at being appointed as the head coach of South Australia, where he began his first-class playing career over two decades ago. He believes that the team has the potential to achieve great things and is eager to build on the progress made last season.Under the leadership of new captain Nathan McSweeney, the South Australian team has developed a strong sense of self-belief. Harris plans to work closely with the players to ensure that they are well-prepared for the upcoming season.South Australia finished fifth in the Sheffield Shield last season, an improvement from their fourth-place finish in 2022-23. However, they finished bottom in the Marsh Cup after reaching the final the previous season.Harris brings a wealth of coaching experience to the role. After retiring from playing, he worked with the Australia men's under-19 team at the 2018 and 2020 World Cups. He has also worked in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with Kings XI Punjab and Delhi Capitals. Additionally, he had stints as a consultant with the Australian men's team while Justin Langer was coach.In 2021, Harris was appointed as Queensland Cricket's pathway manager. He applied to be the head coach of Australia Women when Matthew Mott left, having had a short-term stint as bowling coach on a tour of New Zealand in 2021. However, he was overlooked for the role and returned to South Australia as their bowling coach.

The appointment of Gautam Gambhir as Team India's head coach has sparked discussions about his relationship with star batter Virat Kohli. The duo's past verbal altercation during IPL 2023 has raised questions about their compatibility in the national team setup.However, former India cricketer Venkatapathy Raju believes that the incident should be put behind them. "They are very senior cricketers and they are mature sportsmen," Raju said. "There will be a lot of discussions on social media. We should just leave them."Gambhir's emergence as the frontrunner for the head coach position is attributed to his successful stint with the Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL. Kohli's decision to participate in the ODI series against Sri Lanka will mark the first time he works with Gambhir in the same team.Both Gambhir and Kohli are known for their fiery personalities on the field. As captains of opposing IPL teams and later as mentors and senior players, they have had heated exchanges. However, their relationship seemed to improve after Gambhir joined the Kolkata Knight Riders as a mentor.Gambhir has downplayed the significance of his relationship with Kohli, stating that it is a private matter. "My relationship is not public. What kind of a relationship I share with Virat Kohli... I think it's between two mature individuals," he said.India's upcoming T20I and ODI series against Sri Lanka will provide an opportunity to observe the dynamics between Gambhir and Kohli in a national team setting. The series will be telecast live on Sony Sports Network, with Raju providing commentary in Telugu.

Gautam Gambhir, the former Indian cricketer, will take over as the new head coach of the Indian cricket team on July 27th. He will lead the team in a three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka, followed by a three-match ODI series starting on August 2nd. Gambhir replaces Rahul Dravid, whose tenure ended after India's victory at the T20 World Cup 2024.Gambhir, who was a key member of India's 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 ODI World Cup-winning teams, is expected to bring a fresh perspective to the team. Former India wicketkeeper-batter Robin Uthappa has praised Gambhir's leadership qualities, describing him as "approachable" and "empathetic."Uthappa, who played under Gambhir's captaincy at Kolkata Knight Riders, said, "He has been an incredible man manager. He is someone who is always available, he is very empathetic, and he is there for his players."Uthappa believes that Gambhir's leadership style will be different from Dravid's, but equally effective. "I think he will be a very fair leader and he is someone who provides security to his group," he said.Gambhir's appointment has been met with mixed reactions. Some experts believe that his aggressive and outspoken nature may not be suitable for the role of head coach. However, others believe that his passion and intensity will be beneficial for the team.It remains to be seen how Gambhir will perform as India's head coach. However, his experience as a player and his strong leadership qualities suggest that he has the potential to be successful.

Gautam Gambhir's appointment as head coach of the Indian cricket team has been met with mixed reactions. Some have questioned his experience, while others have praised his leadership qualities.Gambhir, who replaced Rahul Dravid at the helm, is already in Sri Lanka with the Indian team for the upcoming white-ball tour. He was one of the two candidates interviewed for the role by BCCI's COC, following his successful stint as mentor of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).The likes of Ricky Ponting, Justin Langer, Mahela Jayawardene, and Stephen Fleming, were also reportedly in the race. However, the BCCI's priority was always an Indian.While Gambhir's appointment was made official on July 9, after Rahul Dravid's contract came to an end, former India pacer Ashish Nehra was also floating in the media.During a recent interaction, Nehra has opened up about why he didn't apply. The 45-year-old insisted that his children are young, and he was not in the mood to travel for nine months."Meri abhi kabhi us tareh soch nahi gayi hai. My kids are young. GG ke bacche bhi abhi young hai par sabki soch alag alag hoti hai, toh I am very happy where I am. I am not in the mood to travel for nine months (I never thought about it. My children are still young. Gautam Gambhir also has young children, but everyone has different ideas. That's why I am happy where I am. I am not in the mood to travel for nine months)," Nehra told Sports Today.Meanwhile, Gambhir also confirmed the names of two assistant coaches that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has approved. Though the complete list of coaches will be confirmed only after the Sri Lanka tour, Gambhir is happy to see the board agreeing to most of his demands as the head coach of the Indian team.During a media briefing, Gambhir revealed that his former Kolkata Knight Riders mates, Ryan Ten Doeschate and Abhishek Nayar have joined him as assistant coaches."This is going to be the crux of the support staff. As I said, we still have one month after the Sri Lanka tour. We will try and finalise after the Sri Lanka tour. But, I have worked with people like Abhishek Nayar, Ryan Ten Doeschate very closely. In the last two months, especially in the IPL, I have enjoyed working with them. They are thorough professionals. Hope Ryan and Abhishek can have a successful stint.""Hopefully, we can have a successful tenure as coaches. I am really looking forward to work with the rest of the other guys as well. I have had some really good feedback from the players about the other guys. I am really looking forward to working with them. My experience and learning have been been very simple," Gambhir said.

Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli: A United Front Despite On-Field ClashesFormer India head coach Ashish Nehra has shed light on the relationship between new head coach Gautam Gambhir and superstar batter Virat Kohli, who have had a history of on-field confrontations.Despite their past clashes, Nehra believes that Gambhir and Kohli will work together harmoniously as they share a common goal of success for the Indian team. He emphasized that their on-field conflicts are not indicative of their relationship off the field."Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir are two very passionate individuals. Whenever they play for a team, they can turn up against the opposition. But, when they are together in a dressing room, they are together, united for the team," Nehra said.Nehra also highlighted the experience and maturity of both Gambhir and Kohli, which he believes will help them navigate any potential conflicts. "You're talking about Virat Kohli, who has an experience of over 16-17 years, Gautam Gambhir is also experienced. The things on the outside, people get an impression about it. It's not just Gambhir and Kohli, there are so many players who have had on-field spats in the past, but when they play together for a team, they have done well as a player, as a coach-captain, as a coach and senior player," he added.Nehra also commented on Gambhir's upfront and transparent personality, which he believes is a positive attribute for a coach. "Gautam Gambhir is upfront, transparent which is great. He keeps it clear and speaks his mind. That's very important. Yes, I agree, everybody has their own style (of coaching), to operate with the coach, captain and player. I don't see any problem with these two and where they are in their careers," Nehra said.While Gambhir's coaching style may differ from that of his predecessor Rahul Dravid, Nehra does not anticipate any major issues between Gambhir and Kohli. He believes that their shared passion for the game and their commitment to the team will ultimately prevail.