Gautam Gambhir has been appointed as the head coach of the Indian cricket team, succeeding Rahul Dravid, who concluded his tenure following India's triumph in the T20 World Cup 2024.
The announcement was made by BCCI secretary Jay Shah on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Gambhir, 42, will take charge for three and a half years, overseeing all formats until December 2027.
He inherits a team that has enjoyed substantial success, having reached the finals of both the World Test Championship and the ODI World Cup last year, and secured the T20 World Championship this year.
However, the team is undergoing a transition, with the retirements of stalwarts like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja from T20Is, and several other senior players nearing the end of their careers in other formats.
The BCCI had previously indicated that the new head coach would be appointed in July, following a formal application process that concluded on May 27.
Discussions with Gambhir took place during IPL 2024, where he served as the mentor for Kolkata Knight Riders, guiding them to the title.
Despite limited coaching experience, Gambhir's playing career is distinguished by significant achievements, including top-scoring in the finals of the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 ODI World Cup, and leading KKR to two IPL titles in 2012 and 2014.
He expressed his ambition to coach India at an event in Abu Dhabi on June 1, stating, "There is no bigger honour than coaching your national team."
Gambhir emerged as the frontrunner after VVS Laxman, another potential candidate, declined interest in the role, opting to continue as director of cricket at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru.
Laxman is currently coaching India on an interim basis in their T20I series against Zimbabwe.
Rahul Dravid's tenure, which began after the T20 World Cup in November 2021, saw him extend his initial contract to guide India through the T20 World Cup 2024, culminating in India’s first ICC trophy win since 2013.
