The Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) is actively vetting candidates to fill the position of Team India’s head coach after the incumbent, Rahul Dravid, steps down in June.
Earlier, Australia legend Ricky Ponting and veteran New Zealand star Stephan Fleming were reported to be among the top contenders, but the duo were not very interested in the position because of long-term engagement and heavy workload. Gautam Gambhir, who seems to be the frontrunner in replacing Rahul Dravid, is facing a conundrum as per the Dainik Jagran report.
In the last few years, Gautam Gambhir’s stature in the Indian cricket rose as two IPL franchise gave strong performances under his guidance. Lucknow Super Giants, which was a new comer in IPL 2022, finished on third rank in the season under Gambhir’s mentorship, while this year he was back with Kolkata Knight Riders, which is playing today’s final against the Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Shah Rukh Khan’s blank cheque offer
As per the report, Gautam Gambhir has shown a keen interest in the role. Team India’s head coach and BCCI Secretary may make him an offer soon, but Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) owner Shah Rukh Khan doesn’t want him to leave the franchise.
The report said that Shah Rukh Khan offered him a blank cheque, which indicates that the KKR owner is ready to pay any amount to keep Gautam Gambhir as the mentor of KKR.
Gautam Gambhir, the 2011 World Cup winning player has remained an active part of cricket after his retirement as he served with various IPL teams and also worked as an expert commentator for broadcasters like Star Sports. He has been very vocal on issues related to cricket and also provided fans with some drama due to his public exchange with various players.