'I am not in the mood to travel for 9 months' - Ashish Nehra reveals reason for not applying for India’s head coach position

After India's victorious T20 World Cup 2024 campaign under head coach Rahul Dravid, Gautam Gambhir was appointed as the new head coach of the Indian men's cricket team. This announcement sparked discussions about potential candidates for the role, with former pacer Ashish Nehra being one of the names that came up in speculation. However, Nehra chose not to throw his hat in the ring, and he has now opened up about his decision.

The appointment of a new head coach came after Dravid's contract ended in June 2024. While several high-profile overseas names were rumored to be in contention, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) showed a preference for an Indian candidate.

Gambhir, fresh off a successful stint as a mentor for Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2024, emerged as the frontrunner and eventually secured the position.

Nehra, despite being considered a suitable candidate by many fans and experts, decided not to apply for the role. The 45-year-old former cricketer revealed personal reasons behind his decision.

"I never thought about it. My children are still young. Gautam Gambhir also has young children, but everyone has different ideas. That’s why I am happy where I am. I am not in the mood to travel for nine months,” said Nehra during an interview with Sports Tak.

Also read: Ashish Nehra on Hardik Pandya's captaincy snub

GT won their maiden IPL title in 2022 under Ashish Nehra

Nehra's decision highlights the personal sacrifices often required in high-profile coaching roles, especially at the international level. Nehra has already established himself as a successful coach in the Indian Premier League (IPL). As the head coach of Gujarat Titans for the past three seasons, he led the team to an IPL title in 2022, becoming the first Indian to achieve this feat as a head coach.

In the following season, he guided the team to the final, narrowly missing out on a back-to-back championship. But recent reports claim that Nehra and and Director of Cricket of GT, Vikram Solanki will potentially bid farewell to the franchise.

Also read: I don't see any problem between Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir: Ashish Nehra

Many fans and experts were shocked after Hardik Pandya's transfer to his former franchise, Mumbai Indians ahead of IPL 2024. The GT managed to hand over Shubman Gill the captaincy duties but they failed to qualify for the knockout stages in 2024.