Team India gets new head coach: Gautam Gambhir to succeed Rahul Dravid

For Gambhir, who served as the mentor of LSG in 2022 and 2023, and KKR in 2024, this will be the first assignment as a coach. He has never coached a national domestic or IPL side

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday appointed former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir as new head coach. He succeeds Rahul Dravid, whose three-year stint as the head coach of the Indian men's team concluded with India's victorious campaign in the T20 World Cup in June.

Dravid had taken over the reins of the Indian cricket team from Ravi Shastri in 2021. His tenure would have ended after the ICC ODI World Cup 2023, but  Dravid's term was extended till ICC T20 World Cup 2024 in the US and West Indies.

BCCI secretary Jay Shah made the annoucement on social media platform X. 

"Modern-day cricket has evolved rapidly, and Gautam has witnessed this changing landscape up close. Having endured the grind and excelled in various roles throughout his career, I am confident that Gautam is the ideal person to steer Indian Cricket forward," Jay Shah stated.



Gautam Gambhir is expected to be India's head coach till 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa. Official announcement on his tenure is still awaited.

Gambhir's first assignment as India coach will be Sri Lanka tour. India's tour of Sri Lank will begin on July 27. The schedule of the bilateral series is not announced yet.

Gambhir's coaching experience

Interestingly, Gambhir, who served as mentor for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in 2022 and 2023, has never coached a side at any level, whether in domestic cricket, or an Indian Premier League (IPL) side or a national team. The 42-year-old in 2024 moved back as mentor to Kolkata Knight Riders, for which he had earlier won two IPL trophies, on special request from co-owner Shah Rukh Khan. 

After returning to KKR, Gambhir delivered instantly as the Kolkata-based IPL franchise went on to win the IPL 2024 cup, playing aggressive cricket.

Despite not having a coaching role, Gambhir was always at the centre of attraction with his aggressive approach from the sidelines of the game.

He was also involved in the infamous altercation between Virat Kohli and Naveen-ul-Haq during RCB vs LSG match during IPL 2023. 

Gautam Gambhir stats as a player

Gautam Gambhir career stats as player
Format	Matches	Innings	NO	Runs	HS	Avg	BF	SR	100	200	50	4s	6s
Test	58	104	5	4154	206	41.96	8067	51.49	9	1	22	517	10
ODI	147	143	11	5238	150	39.68	6144	85.25	11	0	34	561	17
T20I	37	36	2	932	75	27.41	783	119.03	0	0	7	109	10
IPL	154	152	16	4218	93	31.01	3404	123.91	0	0	36	491	59

Full list of India head coaches over the years

List of Men's head coaches
Name	Tenure	Nationality
Gautam Gambhir	2024-TBD	India
Rahul Dravid	2021-2024	India
Ravi Shastri	2017-21	India
Sanjay Bangar (Interim)	2017	India
Ravi Shastri (team director)	2014-16	India
Anil Kumble	2016-17	India
Sanjay Bangar (Interim)	2016	India
Duncan Fletcher	2011-15	Zimbabwe
Gary Kirsten	2008-11	South Africa
Lalchand Rajput	2007-08	India
Ravi Shastri (Interim)	2007	India
Greg Chappell	2005-07	Australia
John Wright	2000-05	New Zealand
Kapil Dev	1999-2000	India
Anshuman Gaekwad	1997-99	India
Madan Lal	1996-97	India
Sandeep Patil	1996	India
Ajit Wadekar	1992-96	India
Abbas Ali Baig	1991-92	India
Bishan Singh Bedi	1990-91	India
Chandu Borde	1988	India
PR Man Singh	1983-87	India
Ashok Mankad	1982	India
Salim Durrani	1980-81	India
Datta Gaekwad	1978	India
Gulabrai Ramchand	1975	India
Hemu Adhikari	1971-74	India
Keki Tarapore	1971	India