Gautam Gambhir’s striking ‘you are grilling me’ reply to ‘tough question’ on being India’s next head coach

Former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir is the leading contender to replace Rahul Dravid for the head coach role in the men’s cricket team, after the latter’s contract ends with the ongoing 2024 T20 World Cup, despite fresh competition from veteran cricketer WV Raman, who was reportedly more impressive in the virtual interview with the BCCI’s Cricket Advisory Committee earlier this week. However, Gambhir isn’t quite ready to take questions on the India head coach.

Earlier on Tuesday, Gambhir, who recently inspired Kolkata Knight Riders to their third IPL title haul as a mentor, was interviewed by CAC members Ashok Malhotra, Jatin Paranjape and Sulakshana Naik.

At an Indian Chamber of Commerce event in Kolkata on Saturday, Gambhir, when asked about his chances of replacing Dravid as the next head coach of the Indian team, chose to remain tight-lipped, adding to the mystery surrounding the potential coaching change.

“I don’t see that far ahead. You are grilling me, asking me all tough questions. It is difficult to answer right now. All I can say is that I’m happy being here, just finished a brilliant journey (and) let’s enjoy that. I’m in a very happy space right now,” Gambhir said at a ‘Rise To Leadership’ seminar.

The former World Cup winner, however, gave an insight into his coaching philosophy which is purely based on the “team first ideology”.

“If you have the intent of keeping your team ahead of any individual, things will fall in place. If not today, tomorrow, if not tomorrow, someday it will fall in place,” he said. “But if you start thinking on that, or if you know that you need to help one or two individuals perform, then your team will only suffer.”

“For me, the guru mantra is team first philosophy. I think team-first ideology, team-first philosophy is the most important ideology in any team sport,” he added.

Although BCCI is likely to make the official announcement for the head coach role by the end of June, largely depending on India’s campaign in the T20 World Cup, Gambhir, if picked, is unlikely to accompany the squad for the Zimbabwe T20I series that begins from July 5.

According to a report in PTI, National Cricket Academy (NCA) chief VVS Laxman will travel with the Indian side for the three-match contest, with Gambhir taking over the role from the Sri Lanka tour onwards. India will play three T20Is and three ODIs next month against the Islanders.

“There is a possibility that Laxman along with some of the NCA coaches will travel with the new look squad to Zimbabwe. Laxman and the NCA team has always filled up whenever Rahul Dravid and the first team coaches have been taken periodic breaks during their stint,” a BCCI source told the news agency.