Former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir has been officially confirmed as the new head coach of the Indian men’s cricket team. The southpaw will succeed Rahul Dravid whose stint with the Indian cricket team came to an end after the ICC T20 Men’s World Cup 2024.
Gambhir’s innings as the head coach of Team India will begin from the Sri Lanka tour onwards, which starts on July 27. During his 3.5 years at office, Gambhir would look to guide India to ICC titles. India will play five ICC tournaments during this period.
As Gambhir begins a new role in the Indian dressing room, let us have a look at five World Cup winners who have served as the head coach of the Indian men’s cricket team:
Sandeep Patil: Sandeep Patil was a member of the 1983 World Cup team of India. The former middle-order batter was appointed as the head coach of India in 1996 for the England tour. However, his stint was short-lived as he was sacked soon after India lost both the Test and ODI series.
Madan Lal: Former Indian pacer Madan Lal succeeded Sandeep Patil as the head coach in 1996. He was a key member of the 1983 World Cup Indian team led by Kapil Dev. During his one-year stint, India defeated Australia and South Africa at home across formats but faced embarrassing losses against the West Indies in the Barbados Test played in March 1997.
Kapil Dev: The 1983 World Cup-winning team captain Kapil Dev became India’s head coach in 1999. Under his coaching, India suffered humiliating defeats against Australia and South Africa in Test series. However, his stint is remembered for the match-fixing allegations that hit the cricketing world. He was even accused of fixing matches, after which he quit the job due to pressure.
Also Read:5 World Cup Winners To Serve As Head Coach Of Indian Cricket Team
Ravi Shastri: Ravi Shastri was a part of the 1983 World Cup-winning team. He took the role of India’s head coach from 2017 to 2021. During his tenure, India reached the final of the 2021 World Test Championship, the semi-final of the 2019 ODI World Cup, and also won two consecutive Test series in Australia.
Gautam Gambhir: Gautam Gambhir was a part of the Indian team led by MS Dhoni that won the ODI World Cup in 2011 and the T20 World Cup in 2007. In both the finals, the opener was the top scorer for India. More recently, Gambhir served as the coach for Kolkata Knight Riders in Indian Premier League 2024 and led his franchise to the title win. The 42-year-old was appointed as India’s head coach on July 9, 2024, and will remain in position till December 2027.
