 "India team head coach announcement soon: Will Gautam Gambhir take over?")
The Indian men’s cricket team is set to welcome a new head coach soon, with Gautam Gambhir emerging as the leading candidate. His second round of interviews is scheduled for June 19.
However, the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), consisting of Ashok Malhotra, Jatin Paranjpe, and Sulakshana Naik, has also interviewed other candidates for the position. Reports indicate that former India player and women’s team coach WV Raman was also interviewed by CAC on Tuesday (June 18).
What happened at Gambhir’s first round of interviews?
The specifics of Gautam Gambhir’s interaction with CAC chairman Malhotra and his colleagues Paranjpe and Sulakshana were not immediately known. It is believed that the focus was on the Indian cricket team’s roadmap for the next three years, which will feature three ICC tournaments across formats.
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What are Gautam Gambhir’s demands for accepting the head coach role?
According to media reports, Gambhir has asked for full command of the Indian team, which means the appointment of support staff at his behest.
There are also reports that former South Africa cricketer Jonty Rhodes could be the new fielding coach of India. Rhodes has worked closely with Gambhir when the latter was the mentor of Lucknow Super Giants.
Gambhir also sought separate teams for white-ball and red-ball, which was agreed upon by BCCI’s Apex Council.
When will the India head coach announcement take place?
With Gambhir’s candidature almost final, the BCCI could make the announcement any time between June 19 and 21.
BCCI secretary Jay Shah is expected to inform the Apex Council before making a formal announcement of India's new head coach.
The new coach’s contract would be valid for all three formats — Tests, ODIs, and T20Is — from July 2024 to December 2027.
What will be Gambhir’s first assignment if he gets Team India’s top job?
After the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, the Indian cricket team is set to travel to Zimbabwe for a five-match T20 International series, starting July 6, 2024.
Given the short gap between the T20 World Cup and Zimbabwe, the selectors are expected to name a second-string India squad for the African nation tour.
| India tour of Zimbabwe 2024 | |||
| Match | Date | Time (IST) | Venue |
| 1st T20I | 6th July | 4:30 PM IST | Harare Sports Club, Harare |
| 2nd T20I | 7th July | 4:30 PM IST | Harare Sports Club, Harare |
| 3rd T20I | 10th July | 4:30 PM IST | Harare Sports Club, Harare |
| 4th T20I | 13th July | 4:30 PM IST | Harare Sports Club, Harare |
| 5th T20I | 14th July | 4:30 PM IST | Harare Sports Club, Harare |
What next for Rahul Dravid after T20 World Cup 2024?
Rahul Dravid’s tenure as India head coach is set to end after the conclusion of the 2024 T20 World Cup. Dravid is expected to link up with any of the Indian Premier League franchises as reports coming in that he is in talks with multiple IPL teams.