Gautam Gambhir, who mentored Kolkata Knight Riders on their way to this year's Indian Premier League title, was captained by Dravid on his Test debut in 2004
Former India batter Gautam Gambhir will be the country's next men's head coach, succeeding the outgoing Rahul Dravid.
The news was confirmed in a post on X by BCCI secretary Jay Shah.
A reply followed from Gambhir, who mentored Kolkata Knight Riders on their way to this year's Indian Premier League title.
"India is my identity and serving my country has been the greatest privilege of my life," he wrote. "I'm honoured to be back, albeit wearing a different hat. But my goal is the same as it has always been, to make every Indian proud. The men in blue shoulder the dreams of 1.4 billion Indians and I will do everything in my power to make these dreams come true!"
Gambhir replaces former teammate Rahul Dravid in the role (Dibyangshu Sarkar/AFP via Getty Images)
Gambhir replaces Dravid, who signs off as a T20 world champion, ending India's 13-year world title drought in the Caribbean by beating South Africa last month. They also reached the finals of the most recent World Test Championship and ODI World Cup, losing to Australia in both.
The new era – with Gambhir appointed across all formats – begins in Sri Lanka, with three ODIs and three T20Is.
Shah wrote: "Modern-day cricket has evolved rapidly, and Gautam has witnessed this changing landscape up close. Having endured the grind and excelled in various roles throughout his career, I am confident that Gautam is the ideal person to steer Indian cricket forward.
"His clear vision for #TeamIndia, coupled with his vast experience, positions him perfectly to take on this exciting and most sought-after coaching role. The BCCI fully supports him as he embarks on this new journey."
India is my identity and serving my country has been the greatest privilege of my life. I’m honoured to be back, albeit wearing a different hat. But my goal is the same as it has always been, to make every Indian proud. The men in blue shoulder the dreams of 1.4 billion Indians… pic.twitter.com/N5YyyrhXAI
— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) July 9, 2024
Gambhir's coaching experience has been limited; other than mentoring at KKR, a similar position at Lucknow Super Giants is his only other major role.
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