Gautam Gambhir takes over as head coach of the Indian cricket team

NEW DELHI:

India’s cricket board named Gautam Gambhir as their first coach on Tuesday, with the former captain taking over from Rahul Dravid, who has been tasked with building on their recent World Cup triumph.

“It is with immense pleasure that I welcome Mr. Gautam Gambhir as the new Coach of the Indian Cricket Team,” said Jay Shah, secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

The 42-year-old Gambhir takes over from the great Dravid, who ended his tenure with the T20 World Cup title in Barbados last month.

Gambhir has scored over 10,000 international runs during his 13-year international career for India since his ODI debut in 2003.

He is the only Indian – and one of four international cricketers, including Don Bradman, Jacques Kallis and Mohammad Yousuf – to score centuries in five consecutive Test matches.

“Modern cricket has evolved rapidly and Gautam has seen this changing landscape first hand,” Shah added.

Gambhir, a talented left-handed batsman who was instrumental in India’s 2011 ODI World Cup win, recently coached Kolkata Knight Riders to the IPL crown.

“Having endured the sport and excelled in various roles during his career, I am confident that Gautam is the ideal person to take Indian cricket forward,” Shah added.

“His clear vision for Team India, coupled with his vast experience, perfectly positions him to take on this exciting and highly sought-after coaching role.”

After retiring from the game, the usually serious Gambhir turned to commentary and then entered politics, becoming a lawmaker for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

He left politics in March to join IPL’s Kolkata Knight Riders, a team he led to two titles in 2012 and 2014.

Gambhir now takes over a team with heightened expectations after their T20 triumph, their fourth World Cup title and their first major crown since the 2013 Champions Trophy.

India’s white-ball tour of Sri Lanka in late July will be Gambhir’s first assignment as coach of the national team.

India are also waiting for a T20 captain after Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were pulled out of the shortest format soon after the thrilling victory over South Africa in the World Cup final in Barbados on June 29.

Shah also offered his “sincere thanks and gratitude” to Dravid, ending his coaching career on a high.

“Under his guidance, Team India emerged as a dominant force in all formats, including being crowned champions of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup,” Shah said.

“His strategic acumen, persistent efforts to nurture talent and exemplary leadership have instilled a culture of excellence in the team and this is also the legacy he leaves behind.”