Gautam Gambhir emerges as frontrunner for India's head coach role amidst KKR's stellar IPL run

Gambhir emerges as coaching frontrunner

KKR's impressive journey to the IPL final has thrust Gautam Gambhir into the spotlight as a potential candidate for the Indian cricket team's head coach position.

BCCI secretary Jay Shah emphasised the board's focus on candidates with a deep understanding of the Indian cricket structure, adding to the speculation that Gambhir is a frontrunner. While no formal proposal has been made to Gambhir, sources suggest he may be open to the challenge.

Currently serving as KKR mentor, Gambhir's potential departure would likely be decided through a private discussion with KKR's owner, Shah Rukh Khan, especially given KKR's successful season under his mentorship. Gambhir, despite lacking formal coaching experience, is known for his straightforward approach and ability to motivate players. His leadership transformed KKR, taking them from a seventh-place finish last year to topping the table and reaching the final this season.

Former India pacer Lashmipathy Balaji praised Gambhir’s captaincy, noting his ability to reward small contributions and empower players. Balaji recounted an instance where Gambhir, as KKR captain, gave his Man of the Match award to Debabrata Das for a crucial cameo, highlighting Gambhir's focus on team effort over individual accolades. This philosophy has continued in his role as mentor, where he values contributions from lesser-known players alongside star performers.

Gambhir's bold decision-making was evident in the 2012 IPL final when he replaced Brendon McCullum with Manvinder Bisla, who then played a match-winning innings. Balaji lauded Gambhir's courage to make such high-stakes calls, a trait that could serve him well as a coach.

This season, Gambhir demonstrated similar instinct by signing Mitchell Starc for Rs 24 crore. Despite early criticisms and Starc's initial struggles, Gambhir's faith was rewarded when Starc's performance in Qualifier 1 was instrumental in KKR's victory. This mirrors MS Dhoni’s support for Shane Watson in the 2018 IPL, emphasising Gambhir's persistence and belief in his players' potential.