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It's never ideal that before a marquee tournament like the 2024 T20 World Cup has even started, the biggest discussion around the Indian team is about who would take the head coach's job two months later.
It's even worse when you see experienced coaches like Ricky Ponting and Justin Langer come out and openly reject the offer. And that is further stabbed when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) says it never approached them.
But it is what it is. After weeks of speculation, Gautam Gambhir has emerged as the favorite candidate. There have been reports saying it's a "done deal" while others have raised caution. A video of him meeting with BCCI secretary Jay Shah after the IPL 2024 final has only added to the rumors.
Would he, if appointed, be the right choice? We think so, and here's why:
#3 Won't mind making the tough decisions
Langer's rejection for the job was telling. He revealed that his colleague and captain at the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) told him there's a lot of "pressure and politics" in the job, 1000 times more than his current role in the IPL.
It's not that Gambhir being a politician can deal with it better but he is the kind of character who won't refrain from it. When his switch to the Delhi Capitals didn't work out in 2018, he didn't have any qualms about stepping down and giving a chance to the then-23-year-old Shreyear Iyer, a move that worked out brilliantly.
No matter how the World Cup goes, India will need some tough decisions, like the transition away from senior players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, deciding on future captains, and finding a clear vision and character.
The vision is especially needed in T20s where India seems to be lingering behind the format's trends. The brand of cricket Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) played under him in IPL 2024 was the purest modern cricket the tournament had seen in years, and it's something that India and their fans could enjoy more of.
Gambhir, 42, is in closer touch with the modern realities of cricket in all formats than the outgoing coach Rahul Dravid, 51, and might bring an immediate shift.
#2 Gambhir has a history of improving young players
Throughout his captaincy career at KKR and then mentorship at LSG and now KKR, Gambhir had this vision of developing young players. Harshit Rana and Vaibhav Arora were with KKR in 2023 as well, but his return seemed to have unlocked them by giving them particular roles and backing.
Despite Dravid's success with incorporating Rinku Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Drhuv Jurel, among others, India has a lot of unused young talent. With the likes of Harshit, Riyan Parag, and Abhishek Sharma now knocking on the doors, India can't compromise development for immediate success.
When Gambhir takes up the job, he'd be expected to improve the team by getting in fresh legs and giving them enough freedom to unlock their potential. He could do that himself or by having an assistant take care of it. But at least in this area of the job, the BCCI would be assured of a smooth passing of the baton.
#1 He will bring the big-match mentality
The only thing India men need from a new head coach is converting that team full of stars into one that can go over the line in knockouts and end the trophy drought. Gambhir, who has always focussed on winning trophies and been an advocate of developing "mental toughness" for such games, just seems perfect.
Throughout the IPL, we spoke a lot about the 'big-match mentality' at KKR. They had a cord of players like Mitchell Starc and Venkatesh Iyer, who might go through the group games unnoticed but often turn up in the biggest matches. Even the coaching department was full of similarly steely personalities.
The last thing India needs after the World Cup is going through more World Test Championship Finals, and World Cup semi-finals by changing their game, pulling back on the intent, and buckling under the pressure. Gambhir, with his eye for talent and ability to push a team into wins, could and should change that.
