Former Indian opener and Kolkata Knight Riders mentor, Gautam Gambhir, who was heavily linked to become Team India's next head coach, following the tenure of Rahul Dravid, is set to be interviewed for the position via Zoom call on Tuesday, June 18.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had invited applications for the head coach role earlier in May as Dravid's tenure was set to finish at the end of June, following the T20 World Cup 2024, held in the USA and Caribbean. The deadline for submission was May 27.
Gambhir, who is also the mentor of the current Indian Premier League (IPL) champions KKR, is the sole applicant being considered for the head coach role. He will be interviewed by The Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), which includes former cricketers like Ashok Malhotra, Jatin Paranjpe and Sulakshana Naik.
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Gautam Gambhir set to be interviewed by BCCI for Team India head coach role - Details
According to an Indian Express report, Gautam Gambhir will be interviewed virtually via a Zoom call. Following the interview, the CAC panel will make recommendations to the BCCI.
“We are conducting an interview session for candidates for the post of head coach and selector. The CAC will submit its recommendation to the BCCI and the board will make an official announcement thereafter,” a BCCI source confirmed to the Indian Express.
BCCI secretary Jay Shah also quashed rumours that the governing body had approached former Australian cricketers, Justin Langer and Ricky Ponting for the head coach role. Earlier the two former internationals, who are currently serving as coaches in the IPL had said that they turned down offers for the Indian head coach position.
“Neither I nor the BCCI have approached any former Australian cricketer with a coaching offer. The reports circulating in certain media sections are completely incorrect. Finding the right coach for our national team is a meticulous and thorough process. We are focused on identifying individuals who possess a deep understanding of the Indian cricket structure and have risen through the ranks,” Jay Shah said in a statement.
What are some of the expectations of BCCI from Gautam Gambhir for the head coach position?
According to the BCCI circular released in early May, some of the requirements of the new head coach listed were:
"The successful candidate should be an accomplished strategist with clear and ambitious plans for how they will develop and build success for Indian cricket moving forward. They will need to demonstrate that they can create a winning culture and world leading teams in all forms of the game."
"The Head Coach should be an outstanding communicator and man manager."
"The successful candidate will be responsible for developing a world class Indian cricket team which delivers sustained success in all conditions and formats, inspiring current and future generations of cricketers."
"The Head Coach will lead a team of specialist coaches and support staff and will be responsible for defining their roles, their performance and ongoing development."
Candidate "must be willing to meet work expectations and pressures associated with handling marquee athletes."
If Gautam Gambhir is confirmed as the new head coach of the Indian team after the interview process, he will take over position from Rahul Dravid after the World Cup, and his term will start in July 2024 until the end of 2027, which is also the year of the next ODI World Cup.
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