Gautam Gambhir Becomes India's New Head Coach, Creates History As He Is First Coach In World To...

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has appointed Gautam Gambhir as the new head coach of the senior men's cricket team. BCCI Secretary Jay Shah announced this on Tuesday as Rahul Dravid's term ended after the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024. Worthwhile to mention, that Gautam Gambhir is the first Indian coach and only one in the world to have won world cups in all formats. He was part of the 2011 cricket world cup and 2007 T20 World Cup-winning India teams. Gambhir was a former opener and 2011 ODI World Cup winner, and was recommended unanimously by the BCCI's Cricket Advisory Committee comprising Ashok Malhotra, Jatin Paranjape, and Sulakshana Naik. He will take charge from the upcoming away series against Sri Lanka, starting July 27, which includes three ODIs and three T20Is. The appointment comes after Gambhir's successful stint as mentor for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Under his guidance, KKR secured their third IPL title in 2024. Previously, he had captained KKR to two IPL victories in 2012 and 2014. Gambhir was also the Team Mentor of Lucknow Super Giants before joining KKR. Gambhir's tenure is expected to last until 2027, covering major tournaments including the 2025 Champions Trophy, 2026 T20 World Cup, 2027 ODI World Cup, and the 2025 and 2027 World Test Championship cycles. In response to his appointment, Gambhir expressed his honour and commitment to making every Indian proud. He stated, "India is my identity and serving my country has been the greatest privilege of my life."