Former India coach Anil Kumble has endorsed Gautam Gambhir as a suitable successor to Rahul Dravid as the head coach of the Indian cricket team. Kumble believes the KKR mentor is ‘certainly capable’ of leading the national side. Meanwhile, the BCCI has already initiated the search for Dravid’s replacement before the start of the T20 World Cup and Gambhir is the most talked candidate for the coveted position.

Rahul Dravid’s tenure as the Indian cricket team’s head coach is set to conclude after the ongoing T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies. The fact that Dravid indicated he would not be reapplying, it appears the BCCI has its sights on Gautam Gambhir.

“While Gautam Gambhir has the necessary credentials, having captained both India and his franchise, coaching the national team requires a different skill set. He is certainly capable. Therefore, he will need time to settle into the role and fully adapt to the unique demands of leading the Indian team,” said Kumble on Star Sports.

The former leg-spinner, who served as the Indian head coach from 2016 to 2017, underlined that the country needs a strong leader to navigate in the period of coming turmoil because veterans like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are nearing the end of their international careers.

“The team needs a leader with a strong, commanding presence to provide continuity. Rahul Dravid has done a fantastic job in this role. Hopefully, he’ll get a great farewell at the T20 World Cup. It’s also important to consider that some senior players are nearing the end of their careers, so the team requires someone who can guide them through this transitional period,” he continued.

While Gambhir lacks experience as a senior cricket team coach, he has proven to be an excellent man manager. He served as mentor for the Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2022 and 2023, guiding them to the playoffs in both seasons. Gambhir has now returned to Kolkata Knight Riders, the franchise he captained to two IPL titles, this time as their team mentor. In his first season back with KKR, Gambhir has already made an immediate impact, overseeing a successful campaign that culminated in the team winning their third IPL championship on May 26.