The reports of the BCCI approaching Australian greats Ricky Ponting and Justin Langer for the post of Team India’s head coach post were refuted by Jay Shah.

Meanwhile, Gautam Gambhir has emerged as the frontrunner for the high-profile position. The current head coach, Rahul Dravid, is set to depart after the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. He doesn’t want to reapply for the job.

The deadline for submitting the applications is May 27.

Given the limited pool of candidates for the head coach role, Gambhir is likely to secure the position. Furthermore, he is the sole Indian candidate whose name is being widely considered. It’s worth noting that Shah recently indicated the board’s preference for an Indian national as the new head coach, rather than an overseas legend.

“For Team India to excel, it is vital that our new coach has a huge understanding of the domestic cricket structure,” said Shah.

Gambhir boasts an impressive record as a team mentor in the IPL. In 2022, he was appointed as the mentor for the LSG, who made the playoffs and finished third in the league stage in consecutive seasons. Ahead of the 2024 season, Gambhir was brought on board as the mentor of the Kolkata Knight Riders, and they topped the table in the league stage and won the league..

According to a Dainik Jagran report, the BCCI has reached out to Gautam Gambhir about the head coach role. The former batter has expressed strong interest in the position. On Sunday, Gambhir was expected to connect with the top BCCI officials in Chennai, on the sidelines of the IPL 2024 final. While the report indicates Gambhir has not yet formally applied for the role, once he does, he will likely be named as Rahul Dravid’s successor.

Gambhir faces a delicate situation regarding the position, as he must first speak with KKR co-owner Shah Rukh Khan, who was instrumental in bringing the former India opener back to Knight Riders. According to reports, the Bollywood superstar told Gambhir to manage the team for 10 years and offered him a blank cheque, promising to pay whatever amount he demands.

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