Jay Shah Explains Why Gautam Gambhir Was Appointed As New Head Coach Of Indian Men's Cricket Team

BCCI secretary Jay Shah took to X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday (July 9) to confirm Gautam Gambhir’s appointment as the new head coach of the Indian men’s cricket team. The former left-handed top-order batter will replace Rahul Dravid after his stint as head coach came to an end last month. The 42-year-old will remain in charge of Team India till December 2027, and during his time, India will take part in five ICC tournaments.

In his tweet that confirmed Gambhir’s appointment, Shah wrote, “It is with immense pleasure that I welcome Mr @GautamGambhir as the new Head Coach of the Indian Cricket Team. Modern-day cricket has evolved rapidly, and Gautam has witnessed this changing landscape up close. Having endured the grind and excelled in various roles throughout his career, I am confident that Gautam is the ideal person to steer Indian Cricket forward. His clear vision for #TeamIndia, coupled with his vast experience, positions him perfectly to take on this exciting and most sought-after coaching role. The @BCCI fully supports him as he embarks on this new journey.”

The BCCI’s official X handle retweeted Shah’s post first and then, after a while, posted a release in which Jay revealed the reason why Gambhir was preferred for the job.

According to him, Gambhir is a fierce competitor and a brilliant strategist, and his vision for the future of Indian cricket aligns perfectly with the board’s goals.

“Gambhir has been a fierce competitor and a brilliant strategist. We believe he will bring the same tenacity and leadership to his role as head coach. His transition to the role of head coach is a natural progression, and I believe he will bring out the best in our players,” he was quoted as saying by the BCCI release.

“I am confident that he will inspire and lead the team to new heights. His vision for the future of Indian cricket aligns perfectly with our goals, and we are excited about the journey ahead. Congratulations to him and best of luck for this new journey,” Shah added.

The BCCI secretary also paid tribute to outgoing head coach Dravid and his support staff.

“We thank Mr. Rahul Dravid and his team of support staff for their service and stellar effort in their tenure with Team India. The team enjoyed remarkable success across formats, and being crowned champions at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, 2024 is a moment that the nation will cherish for a long time.”

Gambhir will formally take charge of the Indian team from the Sri Lanka tour onward, which is set to start on July 27. India will travel to the island nation to face the Sri Lankan team in three T20Is and as many ODI matches.