Ravi Shastri, the former head coach of the Indian cricket team, has expressed his support for the appointment of Gautam Gambhir as the new head coach. Shastri believes that Gambhir’s contemporary approach, fresh ideas, and experience make him the ideal candidate for the role.
Gambhir, who recently led the Kolkata Knight Riders to victory in the Indian Premier League (IPL), brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the Indian team. Shastri highlighted Gambhir’s understanding of the current players, especially in the white-ball format, as a key advantage.
“He’s contemporary, he just had a great season in the IPL,” Shastri said. “I think he’s the right age where he’s young, he’ll come with fresh ideas. He knows most of the players, especially in the white-ball format, having been part of teams in the IPL.”
Shastri also emphasized the importance of player management in the role of a coach. He believes that Gambhir’s ability to understand his players as individuals will be crucial for success.
“Obviously, player management becomes the key as a coach,” Shastri said. “So it’ll be interesting to see how he goes. I think he’s got the tools, he’s got the goods for the job and he’s got the experience.”
Gambhir’s first assignment as head coach will be the white-ball tour of Sri Lanka, starting with the three T20Is on Saturday in Pallekele. He will then take over in all formats, with major assignments including the five home Tests starting in September and the ICC trophies in 2025 and 2026.
Shastri believes that India needs to find the right mix for the T20I format, especially with the departure of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravindra Jadeja. However, he is confident that Gambhir has the talent and experience to guide the team to success.
“I think a lot of the players that won this T20 World Cup will still be around two years later,” he said. “So I don’t think there’s much to be done there. In fact, you will get a problem on your hands because you’ll have to choose from the new lot that’s coming and there’s some real exciting talent there.”
