Suddenly, Gautam Gambhir is back in the spotlight. A two-time World Cup winner and former Indian opener, Gambhir might see his cricket career come full circle as he is now being approached by BCCI to succeed Rahul Dravid as India's next all-formats coach. The role is incredibly demanding. Having left politics last year to re-engage with cricket, KKR mentor Gambhir would need to commit to extensive travel until the 2027 World Cup, while also fulfilling his responsibilities as a mentor for Kolkata Knight Riders. The position of coach for the Indian cricket team comes with a lot of challenges, and while the prospect of Gambhir taking over from Dravid is exciting, it is not without its complexities.
Meanwhile, Pakistan's bowling great Wasim Akram and Gambhir’s colleague on the SportsKeeda panel, has revealed the advantages and disadvantages of Gambhir’s potential appointment as India's next head coach. Acknowledging Gambhir as 'the best candidate,' Akram said:
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He is a very intelligent person: Wasim Akram on Gautam Gambhir
"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," he added.
Several Indians are being considered for the head coach position, including VVS Laxman and Ashish Nehra. While Laxman has turned down the offer, Wasim Akram sees both him and Nehra as strong candidates to build on the success of Rahul Dravid and Ravi Shastri. Nehra's impressive record with the Gujarat Titans, including an IPL title win, makes him a compelling choice. However, reports suggest Nehra might not be interested in a full-time role, which could also be delaying the BCCI's decision on Stephen Fleming.
"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 concluded.
Currently Gambhir is busy in IPL 2024 in mentoring Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), who have already qualified for playoffs. KKR are gearing up to take on Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the IPL 2024's Qualifier 1 on May 21.
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