How Gautam Gambhir became India’s head coach!

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As early as May 15, CricBlogger received a tip-off from a source that former Delhi cricketer and India ace opener Gautam Gambhir could potentially become the new coach of the India team, replacing the dependable Rahul Dravid. To confirm the tip-off, several phone calls to different stakeholders in the game, and the common sentiment was that Gambhir could indeed be in line for the position, although there was no official confirmation at that time.

It sounds like there was significant speculation and discussion around Gambhir potentially replacing Dravid as the head coach of the Indian cricket team, with particular focus on his suitability for the role. Despite other names being considered, such as VVS Laxman, Gambhir emerged as the frontrunner, especially for the white-ball formats. The decision seemed to gain clarity by the end of the IPL season, with BCCI favoring Gambhir for the position.

Only in theory, it sounds great to think that India should have two coaches, one for red ball and the other for white ball. But in reality, it can never be like they have in England.

So, Gambhir takes his guard as the head coach of India for a minimum of three and a half years and is expected to take the team to greater heights. Despite having the vision to make his team win every time he takes the field, he is also fortunate to inherit a team that is already a T20 champion. The immediate goal would be to win the Champions Trophy and move on from there to challenges like the Test Champions final and the 50-over World Cup in South Africa.

What does Gambhir bring to the table now? He has unfinished business with the India team. Despite being a top performer in the 2007 T20 World Cup final and the 2011 World Cup final against Sri Lanka, he didn’t get the credit he deserved. His unceremonious exit from the Indian ODI team, both as a vice-captain and player, thanks to MS Dhoni, left a bad taste in his mouth. Even from the Test team, he was dropped when he wasn’t supposed to be shown the door and reappeared again in the 2014 England Test series when he wasn’t in great touch. But he kept playing domestic cricket and the IPL to make a point in front of the selectors. Even as a mentor for a few IPL teams, Gambhir was a blessing in disguise for his approach and team-driven mentality.

Those who have followed Gambhir over the years always make it a point to say that he loves going back to a victorious dressing room. He knows that this game is played as a team and that if the players are together, nothing is impossible.

Gambhir is also tactically very strong, and his IPL teammates and other support staff can vouch for it. His man-management skills are among the positives that the BCCI bigwigs could understand very well. In other words, Gambhir is the head coach today not only because of the recommendation of the cricket advisory committee but also because of his relationships with board members.

The board members also assessed how Gambhir would handle a senior player and his former teammate like Virat Kohli. It is understood that both Gambhir and Kohli have met several times socially in the last few months, including gatherings at Yuvraj Singh’s house. Whatever differences emerged have ended because they are now going to play for the same team. Gambhir also understands that the captain of the team holds significant power, and his entourage can be equally influential. His approach seems to be “live and let live” and focus on winning for the country, especially targeting victory in the Champions Trophy for India!