Gautam Gambhir's Future as Team India Head Coach Sparks Speculation
Rumors Emerge Following Gambhir's Encounter with Jay Shah at Chepauk Stadium
After Venkatesh Iyer scored the game-winning run at the Chepauk on Sunday, Gautam Gambhir allowed himself a smile before being surrounded by teammates and support personnel.
After a 10-year absence, the coach of the Kolkata Knight Riders helped the team win its third IPL championship upon his return to the team.
However, it was his spontaneous encounter at the stadium with Board secretary Jay Shah that set off rumors of his hiring as the future head coach of Team India.
It has been reported that Shah pulled Gambhir aside before to the prize ceremony, and the two spoke for "quite some time." But there was no corroboration of what actually happened in their private discussion.
The deadline for applying for the position was Monday. Nonetheless, the Board has not closed doors for Gambhir, and efforts are underway to persuade him to accept the position.
The new coach's tenure will begin in July and run through December 31, 2027. One coach for all three forms is something that the BCCI is anxious to have.
Before the upcoming T20 World Cup in the US and the West Indies, Rahul Dravid informed the Board that he would not be staying on.
According to sources who spoke with The Telegraph, Gambhir has asked the BCCI for confirmation of his appointment because he doesn't want to apply, go through the process, and then find out that his application was rejected.
In 2017, Virender Sehwag encountered an analogous circumstance with Ravi Shastri's reappointment as head coach. Sehwag was dropped at the last minute by the Cricket Advisory Committee, which is headed by Sourav Ganguly, following the former captain of India's interviews and presentations.
It has been reported that Gambhir did not inform KKR of his decision to step down as mentor until late on Monday.
Since "it's crucial that our coach has an in-depth knowledge of our domestic cricket framework to truly elevate Team India to the next level," Shah had previously stated that the Board was keen in having an Indian in the coveted position.
Gambhir has expressed interest in joining Team India, but Shah Rukh Khan, the owner of KKR, won't allow him leave.
VVS Laxman was approached earlier this month by a powerful Board member, but the head of the National Cricket Academy (NCA) wasn't interested in accepting the position.
Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Press Time staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.
