May 21 (Punjab Khabarnama) : And just like that, Gautam Gambhir is making headlines again. Winner of two World Cups, the former India opener’s journey with Indian cricket could come full circle as he has fallen on BCCI’s radar to replace Rahul Dravid as Team India’s next all-formats coach. The nature of the job is demanding. Gambhir, who quit politics last year to mark a return to cricket, will need to be on the road all the way till the 2027 World Cup, and also serve time with the Kolkata Knight Riders as their mentor. Being coach of the Indian cricket team comes with its set of challenges, so while the idea of Gambhir as Dravid’s successor is tempting, it comes with its set of challenges.
Wasim Akram, the former Pakistan captain, has shared his pros and cons regarding Gambhir’s potential as Team India’s next head coach. Akram, Gambhir’s fellow SportsKeeda panelist, referred to him as ‘the best candidate’ while pointing out that the call belongs entirely to Gambhir for the following reasons.
“Yeah, he is the best candidate. It depends on whether Gautam accepts it. He has also left politics because it took too much time. It is a time-consuming job. He is a very intelligent person, so he realised it’s not easy. He has two lovely daughters,” Akram said while speaking to SportsKeeda.
“GG is very simple. Straightforward. Not a difficult person. But he speaks clearly, bluntly and doesn’t think twice, a quality that isn’t part of Indian cricket culture. In our culture, we say things that don’t offend people. But GG is someone who, if he doesn’t like something, will say it to your face. That’s his quality and that’s why everyone likes him. He gets aggressive at times, but that’s him as a person. He will bring that same aggression in the team, but it all boils down to whether he agrees to take up the role.”
Ashish Nehra among Wasim Akram’s other candidates
Akram is also aware of the other Indian names that have been floating around. VVS Laxman has declined the offer, but despite the objection, Akram reckons he and Ashish Nehra are good candidates to continue the good work done by Dravid and Ravi Shastri before him. Nehra, as coach of Gujarat Titans, led the franchise to back-to-back IPL finals in 2022 and 2023 – including a title-winning one, but as per reports, he too isn’t too keen on taking up a full-time role, a reason that’s keeping BCCI waiting on Stephen Fleming as well.
“I have heard some other names too. They have a lot of experience. [Ashish] Nehra has done well; he is a people’s person. Everybody loves him; they want to be around him. And Laxman is another very good choice. He is the NCA head, where Dravid came from after serving as India Under-19 coach. So, they have a system in place. If you ask me, any of these three Indians are good options. Stick to your own people. They have been doing well. Rahul did brilliantly and before him, Ravi [Shastri] had set an example. So yeah,” Akram pointed out.
