'He'll be the right candidate to take Indian cricket forward' - Lalchand Rajput backs Gautam Gambhir to take up head coach role

With the former India stalwart, Rahul Dravid's India Head Coach contract set to expire following the conclusion of the T20 World Cup 2024, the position has become a subject of debate concerning the successor to the role. The BCCI had previously invited applications for the head coach role last month, setting May 27 as the deadline. Numerous high-profile candidates, including Ricky Ponting, Justin Langer, and Stephen Fleming had been associated with the position.

However, recent reports indicated Gautam Gambhir, mentor of the Kolkata Knight Riders, to emerge as the leading contender for the prestigious role. In the same vein, former Indian coach, Lalchand Rajput, who was Team India's head coach from 2007 to 2008, praised Gambhir as a crafty mastermind and a pragmatic individual. Rajput highlighted Gambhir's keen understanding of the game's intricacies, as evidenced by his effective tenure with the Kolkata Knight Riders both as skipper and mentor.

“Gambhir is a no-nonsense guy, he has played cricket the hard way and he reads the game well and that has been seen for KKR (Kolkata Knight Riders) as well,” stated Rajput, as quoted by News18.

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Rajput further bolstered his argument by referencing Gambhir's campaign with KKR after being reinstated as a mentor this year. He highlighted the stark contrast between KKR's 2023 campaign and their most recent one, underscoring the significant impact Gambhir made in their success. Rajput described Gambhir as an astute strategist in devising and implementing strategies. Concluding his opinion, Rajput stated that a two-time World Cup-winning player like Gambhir would, in his view, be a worthy candidate for the high-profile role due to his extensive experience. However, he acknowledged that the final decision ultimately rested with the BCCI.

“KKR was the same team last year and you see the difference that he made this year. He's a shrewd tactician as well. I'm sure with all his experience, he has won two World Cups as a player - that will really add value. He's a good candidate, but it all depends upon BCCI who they want. He'll be the right candidate to take Indian cricket forward,” added Rajput.

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With Gambhir recently articulating his aspiration to coach the national team, there's a strong likelihood that the BCCI may bypass the conventional protocol of the Cricket Advisory Committee CAC interviewing potential candidates and proceed directly with an announcement.