BCCI taps Gautam Gambhir to succeed Rahul Dravid as India's head coach

Gautam Gambhir, the former Indian cricketer, has been approached by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to potentially take over as the head coach of the Indian cricket team after the T20 World Cup in 2024, as reported by ESPN Cricinfo. 

Currently, Gambhir is mentoring the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the ongoing IPL 2024, with his team securing a spot in the playoffs. 

The current head coach, Rahul Dravid, has expressed his decision not to continue beyond the T20 World Cup, marking the end of his tenure. 

Despite Gambhir's experience as a mentor for a few years, he lacks coaching experience at the international or domestic level. However, as a player, Gambhir made significant contributions to Indian cricket, notably being part of the T20 World Cup-winning squad in 2007 and playing a crucial innings in the 2011 World Cup final. 

It is worth noting that the BCCI has invited applications for Dravid's successor, with a deadline set for May 27, 2024, one day after the IPL 2024 final. 

The new head coach will serve a term of three and a half years, starting from July 1, 2024, until December 31, 2027. The selection of the remaining coaching staff will be done in consultation with the new head coach, with indications suggesting that India is unlikely to have separate coaches for different formats.