New Delhi: Former India opener Gautam Gambhir is all set to replace Rahul Dravid as the next head coach of the Indian men’s cricket team. Dravid’s stint as the head coach of the Indian team ended after the conclusion of the T20 World Cup 2024 where Rohit Sharma & Co. emerged victorious. Dravid signed off on a high after helping India end their 11-year-long ICC trophy drought.
As per a report in the Indian Express, BCCI is all but set to announce Gambhir’s appointment as the head coach, however, the appointment is being delayed as the salary negotiations between both parties are not over yet. The salary negotiations are currently at the final stage and an announcement will be made once it’s finalised.
Gambhir has been the frontrunner for the top post for a while now and has already been interviewed by the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC). Gambhir and former India women’s team coach WV Raman are the two candidates who have been interviewed by the CAC for the top post. However, it is understood that Gambhir will be the one taking over the reins from Dravid.
Gambhir was recently spotted shooting a farewell video for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Eden Gardens ahead of his appointment as the head coach of the Indian team. The former India opener will have to step down from his position as the mentor for KKR, just one year after making his comeback to the franchise.
Gambhir left his role as mentor of the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) to return to KKR ahead of IPL 2024 and led the franchise to their third title, ending a decade-long wait. Gambhir might not have experience as a professional head coach but has served as a mentor for two IPL teams for three seasons and will be looking to use his experience as he gears up to take Indian cricket forward under his guidance.
What was Rahul Dravid’s salary as India head coach?
Dravid used to draw a salary of Rs 12 crore annually as the head coach of the Indian team and Gambhir is expected to negotiate for a higher salary than the India legend. It remains to be seen how long will the negotiations last between Gambhir and the BCCI as the former India opener will have to take charge of the team for their upcoming tour of Sri Lanka which gets underway later this month.
Former India opener Gautam Gambhir’s appointment as India head coach is imminent but the announcement from BCCI is reportedly being delayed due to a specific reason. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
