Following the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) triumph in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, a report emerged stating that the franchise co-owner Shah Rukh Khan had offered a blank cheque to Gautam Gambhir to take up the role of a mentor for 10 years when he was with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).
However, as per reports, the BCCI has approached KKR mentor Gambhir to take up the role of Team India head coach. Furthermore, discussions are expected to take place with Gambhir after KKR completes its IPL 2024 campaign.
Notably, under Gambhir’s mentorship, KKR became the first franchise to qualify for the IPL 2024 playoffs and then lift the trophy after a decade-long. The last date for applying for the Team India head coach position is May 27.
It is understood that the current Team India head coach Rahul Dravid, who guided the national team to the World Cup final in 2024, will not re-apply for the position. His likely successor Gambhir was a part of India’s T20 World Cup-winning squad in 2007 and ODI World Cup-winning squad in 2021.
Gambhir has led KKR to the IPL title twice, qualified for the playoffs five times, and reached the finals of the Champions League T20 once in 2014. He has no coaching experience but he mentored Lucknow Super Giants in their inaugural two seasons. Under his mentorship, LSG advanced to the playoffs in both the seasons but struggled to make it to the final.
