It is never ideal that even before a big tournament like the 2024 T20 World Cup begins, the biggest discussion within the Indian team is about who will take over as the head coach two months later.
It’s even worse when you see that experienced coaches like Ricky Ponting and Justin Langer come out and openly reject the offer. And it becomes even more difficult when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) says that it never contacted them.
But it is what it is. After several weeks of speculation, Gautam Gambhir has emerged as the preferred candidate. There have been reports saying it is a “done deal” while others have expressed caution. A video of his meeting with BCCI Secretary Jay Shah after the IPL 2024 final has further fueled the rumors If he is appointed, will he be the right choice? We think so, and here’s why:
#3 There will be no objection in taking difficult decisions
Langer’s rejection of the job was telling. He revealed that his colleague and captain at Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) had told him that there is too much “pressure and politics” in the job, which is 1000 times more than his current role in the IPL.
It is not that Gambhir, being a politician, can handle it in a better way, but he is a person of character who will not shy away from it. When his switch to Delhi Capitals in 2018 didn’t pan out, he had no qualms about stepping down and giving the then 23-year-old Shreyar Iyer a chance, a move that worked out brilliantly.
No matter how the World Cup plays out, India will need to take some tough decisions, such as moving away from senior players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, deciding on future captains and finding a clear vision and character.
This approach is especially needed in T20 where India looks to lag behind the trends in this format. The brand of cricket that Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) played under his leadership in IPL 2024 was the purest modern cricket the tournament has seen in years, and that is something India and their fans can enjoy more.
Gambhir, 42, is closer to the modern realities of cricket across all formats than outgoing coach Rahul Dravid, 51, and can bring immediate change.
#2 Gambhir has a history of improving young players
During his captaincy career at KKR and then mentorship at LSG and now KKR, Gambhir had a vision to develop young players. Harshit Rana and Vaibhav Arora were also with KKR in 2023, but their return has unlocked them by giving them special roles and support.
Despite Dravid’s success in adding players including Rinku Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel, India still have a lot of untapped young talent. With players like Harshit, Riyan Parag and Abhishek Sharma now knocking at the door, India cannot compromise on development for immediate success.
When Gambhir takes charge, he will be expected to improve the team by bringing fresh work and giving them enough freedom to unleash their potential. He can do this himself or get an assistant to take care of it. But at least in this area of work, the BCCI will be assured that the command will be passed smoothly.
#1 He’ll bring big-match mentality
The only thing India men need from the new head coach is to transform the star-studded team into one that can win the knockouts and end the trophy drought. Gambhir, who has always focused on winning trophies and has been an advocate of developing “mental toughness” for such games, seems absolutely right.
Throughout the IPL, we talked a lot about the ‘big match mentality’ at KKR. They had a group of players like Mitchell Starc and Venkatesh Iyer, who may have gone unnoticed in group games but often feature in big matches. Even the coaching department was full of such steely personalities.
The last thing India need after the World Cup is to go through more World Test Championship finals and World Cup semi-finals by changing their game, pulling back on intent and succumbing to pressure. Gambhir, who has an eye on talent and ability to lead the team to victory, can and should change this.
Read here: Gautam Gambhir spent hours in Mannat with Shahrukh Khan, leftist LSG owner stunned: Report
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