The 42-year-old Gambhir takes over from batting great Rahul Dravid, who finished his stint with the T20 World Cup title in Barbados last month.
“India is my identity and serving my country has been the greatest privilege of my life. I’m honoured to be back, albeit wearing a different hat. But my goal is the same as it has always been, to make every Indian proud. The men in blue shoulder the dreams of 1.4 billion Indians and I will do everything in my power to make these dreams come true!” Gambhir tweeted.
“It is with immense pleasure that I welcome Mr Gautam Gambhir as the new Head Coach of the Indian Cricket Team,” BCCI secretary Jay Shah said in a statement.
“Modern-day cricket has evolved rapidly, and Gautam has witnessed this changing landscape up close,” Shah added.
Gambhir, a skilled southpaw who significantly contributed to India’s victory in the 2011 ODI World Cup, has recently led the Kolkata Knight Riders to an IPL title as their head coach.
“Having endured the grind and excelled in various roles throughout his career, I am confident that Gautam is the ideal person to steer Indian Cricket forward,” Shah added.
“His clear vision for Team India, coupled with his vast experience, positions him perfectly to take on this exciting and most sought-after coaching role.”
Gambhir also expressed his appreciation for Dravid and his team of support staff for their outstanding performance with the team.
“It is an absolute honour to serve my tricolour, my people, my country. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Rahul Dravid and his team of support staff for their exemplary run with the team. I am honoured and excited to take on the role of Head Coach for Team India,” Gambhir said in a BCCI media release.
He eagerly anticipates collaborating closely with VVS Laxman, the BCCI’s Head of Cricket, to drive the Indian team towards success in the forthcoming tournaments.
“I have always taken pride while donning the Indian jersey during my playing days and it is going to be no different when I take up this new role. Cricket has been my passion and I look forward to working closely with the BCCI, Head of Cricket – Mr VVS Laxman, the support staff, and, most importantly, the players, as we work towards achieving success in the upcoming tournaments.”
