New Delhi,July 11 2024 : The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) did not consult Virat Kohli before naming Gautam Gambhir as India’s new head coach following Rahul Dravid’s exit. Instead, the board kept Hardik Pandya in the loop regarding the decision.
Despite Virat Kohli’s well-documented and contentious on-field relationship with Gautam Gambhir, the BCCI did not seek Kohli’s opinion before making Gambhir’s appointment public. Sources indicate that the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), comprising Ashok Malhotra, Jatin Paranjape, and Sulakshana Naik, unanimously recommended Gambhir’s name. Gambhir and former batter WV Raman were the only candidates interviewed for the position.
On Tuesday, the BCCI announced that Gambhir would replace Rahul Dravid and take charge of the team starting from the Sri Lanka white-ball series. At 42, Gambhir becomes India’s youngest head coach. Unlike his predecessor Dravid, who shared the dressing room with current team stars late in his career, Gambhir retired from all forms of cricket just five years ago, with his last Test match played under Kohli’s captaincy in 2016.
Kohli and Gambhir’s on-field relationship has been rocky, highlighted by multiple IPL confrontations, the most infamous occurring in 2023 during a match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Lucknow Super Giants, where Gambhir was serving as LSG’s mentor. However, recent IPL seasons have shown signs of reconciliation between the two, with Kohli downplaying suggestions of ongoing friction.
The BCCI chose to focus on the future, considering Kohli’s retirement from T20Is and the potential influx of young players in the coming years. The board did not consult Kohli but emphasized that there would be time for discussions between the two going forward.
“There is enough time for the two to have conversations over the table. But it was important for the BCCI to look at the big picture with many youngsters likely to feature in the coming years,” a source said.
Gambhir’s relationship with ODI and Test captain Rohit Sharma will also be under scrutiny. Rohit enjoyed a strong rapport with Dravid, contributing to India’s recent successes, including the T20 World Cup trophy. While Rohit had hoped Dravid would continue until his own departure from ODIs and Tests, Dravid chose to prioritize family commitments.
Both Rohit and Kohli are not expected to feature in Gambhir’s debut series as head coach, having requested extended breaks. They are set to return for the home Test series against Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, Hardik Pandya, who was kept informed about Gambhir’s appointment, is likely to be named India’s full-time T20I captain. Pandya, who has had a remarkable resurgence after a challenging first half of 2024, previously captained the Indian T20I side between late 2022 and the end of 2023. Although Rohit Sharma led the team into this year’s T20 World Cup, Pandya served as vice-captain and played a pivotal role in the team’s success.
This appointment marks Pandya’s second opportunity to lead the T20I side, as he is poised to take on a more prominent leadership role moving forward.
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