 "India's next head coach")
The job to find the new head coach for the senior men's team seems to have become more challenging for the Indian cricket board (BCCI) than it was first thought to be.
According to a report by Times of India, the board has kept its options open even as the deadline for the applications is less than a week away.
While the names of veteran former players like Gautam Gambhir (coach of KKR), Stephen Fleming (coach of Chennai Super Kings), Justin Langer (coach of Lucknow Super Giants) and Mahela Jayawardene (global performance head of Mumbai Indians) are in the BCCI’s radar, no name has been finalised yet.
TOI reported that the board's operations team has been trying to speak to potential candidates and check if they are interested in the job. All the aforesaid names have lucrative jobs with IPL franchises.
Here’s a look at the coaching career of the potential names for India’s head coach:
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Gautam Gambhir: According to various media reports, Gambhir is currently on top of BCCI's wish list, and the board is likely to speak with him in the coming days.
Gambhir’s coaching experience
42-years-old Gambhir's coaching journey in the IPL took a notable turn when he assumed the role of mentor for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Under his guidance, the team showcased remarkable performance, qualifying for the playoffs in both seasons. While the team finished fourth in its inaugural season in 2022, last year the team ended its season in third position.
Gambhir's leadership style has been characterised by simplicity, directness, and a strong focus on strategy, playing a pivotal role in the team's success.
For the IPL 2024 season, Gambhir left LSG and transitioned to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), taking on the role of mentor for the team. KKR finished at the top spot in this season’s point table after the league matches and is currently in the finals after defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad in the first qualifier on May 21.
It is learnt that Gambhir and senior players in the Indian team have been getting along quite well of late. "If people are talking about Gambhir's friction with Virat Kohli, it can be confirmed that the two have always got along well off the field. Even after the bust-up during an IPL match last year, the two were made to sit down and sort out any issue if they indeed had one," TOI said citing sources.
Stephen Fleming: Stephen Fleming, the veteran New Zealand cricketer turned coach, has an impressive coaching record in the cricketing, particularly in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Fleming’s coaching experience
51-years-old Fleming's coaching stint began in 2009 when he retired as a player and took on the role of head coach for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Since then, he has steered CSK to remarkable success, clinching five IPL titles and two Champions League T20 victories, solidifying his reputation as a master strategist and mentor.
Under his guidance, CSK emerged victorious in the 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, and 2023 IPL seasons.
Fleming's coaching expertise extends beyond the IPL. He has successfully led other franchises like Joburg Super Kings in SA20 and Texas Super Kings in Major League Cricket.
Additionally, Fleming also had a coaching stint with the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League from 2015 to 2019.
Fleming's calm demeanour and proven track record in building strong team cultures have positioned him as a frontrunner for the Indian coaching role.
Reportedly, the BCCI has turned to MS Dhoni to convince the former kiwi star to come onboard the coaching job.
Justin Langer’s coaching experience
Currently the coach of Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL, Justin Langer, 66, has a rich coaching experience. In 2016, he served as interim coach for the Australian team while then-coach Darren Lehmann took leave to scout for the team.
He also coached Western Australia and the Perth Scorchers from 2012 to 2018.
Langer resigned from his job as Australia coach in February 2022 after taking over the reins after the infamous 2018 Sandpaper scandal which led to the resignation of Darren Lehmann.
Langers’s exit from the Australian coach position was messy. Cricket Australia and Langer mutually agreed to part ways in 2022 after players expressed concerns over his coaching style and Langer rejected a reduced contract extension.
Even in the IPL this season, LSG finished at the seventh position with 14 points.
Mahela Jayawardene: Legendary Sri Lanka batter Jayawardene, 46, transitioned seamlessly from a successful playing career to an equally impressive coaching stint, particularly with the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Jaywardene’s coaching experience
He joined the Mumbai Indians setup in 2017 and has since been the backbone of the team's success. Under his guidance, MI has won three IPL titles, becoming the first team to achieve the feat of back-to-back wins in 2019 and 2020. In 2022, he was appointed as the global head of performance for the entire Mumbai Indians franchise, which includes MI Emirates in the ILT20 League and MI Cape Town in the SA20.
He has also served as a consultant coach for the Sri Lanka men's senior team, as well as the men's Under-19 and A teams.
Other Indian legends in the race for head coach job:
VVS Laxman and Ashish Nehra: While, Laxman, 49, remains the only one not committed to an IPL job, he is current NCA head VVS Laxman. Reportedly, Laxman has shown reluctance to take up the national team’s head coach job. However, the board has not ruled him out yet. Notably, Laxman had refused the job after the 2023 ODI World Cup and subsequently Rahul Dravid was asked to continue at least till the T20 WC next month.
Meanwhile, Gujarat Titans' coach Ashish Nehra, 45, - whose name had earlier cropped up - isn't sure about doing a full-time job across formats. The commitment to travel with the team for 10 months a year till the next ODI World Cup in 2027 is a big issue.
