'Plenty of people are on wrong side of 30s' - Aakash Chopra on Gautam Gambhir tackling transitions as India's potential coach

The Indian team is all set to undergo a major overhaul as head coach Rahul Dravid’s tenure ends after the ongoing T20 World Cup. With Dravid not re-applying, former Indian batter Gautam Gambhir has come forward as the frontrunner to become the next head coach of the Indian team. 

However, according to former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra, the job will be extremely difficult for Gambhir. Chopra opined that most of the Indian players are slowly getting closer to retirement. 

He pointed out how many players are in their mid-thirties, and when Gambhir comes in, he will have to manage an Indian team that will be undergoing a transition, and the success of the side could come down to Gambhir’s ability to manage the team. 

"Gautam Gambhir has given the interview. It's been said that it was a virtual interview as opposed to WV Raman, who gave a fantastic presentation. I have just read that. Gautam Gambhir is the frontrunner in this race. It's been said everywhere and we have also understood that," Aakash Chopra said in a video on his YouTube channel. 

"I am saying it will be an interesting tenure because you will have to manage the transition here, and that is never an easy thing. Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Mohammed Shami, maybe Ravindra Jadeja, especially their roles in T20s, there are plenty of people who are on the wrong side of 30, 35 to 37, including Ravichandran Ashwin," he added. 

Roadmap will have to be prepared: Chopra

Furthermore, Aakash Chopra talked about how the Indian team’s next goal to focus on would be the 2027 World Cup. According to Chopra, the BCCI will have to prepare a very important plan, with Gambhir in charge of the Indian team.

“In the next three to four years, when the 2027 World Cup comes, you have to prepare your team for that. There will also be a WTC in 2027 and a T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka in 2026. So a very important roadmap will have to be prepared," Chopra said.