Former Indian batter and cricket analyst, Aakash Chopra, shared his thoughts on the possibility of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) mentor Gautam Gambhir becoming Team India’s next head coach.
Chopra believes that Gambhir would be a strong candidate for the high-profile role due to his straightforward nature and his proven ability to manage and build a team effectively.
He also highlighted the former Indian opener’s impressive skills during IPL auctions, as he hailed Gambhir’s keen strategic mind. He had also worked as a Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) mentor in the IPL.
Aakash Chopra is not in favor of appointing Gautam Gambhir as India’s next coach
Recently, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) invited applications for the role of head coach for the India National Cricket Team. However, the incumbent coach, Rahul Dravid, can also reapply for the role if he wants to continue his job, but he is not reportedly ready to extend his role.
The media reports further claimed that the BCCI contacted Gambhir for India’s head coach position after KKR made it to the IPL 2024 playoffs under his guidance.
Well, Chopra pointed out that Gambhir would be an ideal choice for the job, but coaching the Indian cricket team would present different challenges compared to managing an IPL franchise, as there are several senior players in the team.
Chopra further compared Gambhir’s leadership to that of a strict father, and his stringent approach might cause problems within the team, which already has many senior players, and they might have to be careful if the former World Cup winner joins the national team.
Gautam Gambhir is a very strong personality: Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube channel: “Not a bad choice, there is no doubt about that, because he is a straightforward person. He knows how to manage and build a team. I really rate him high when it comes to the auction. However, there will be no auction for the Indian team.
Gautam Gambhir, the coach, is a very strong personality. When there is a transition, a new captain is coming, then yes. However, if the team has a lot of seniors already, I will be a little wary because Gauti’s style of working is almost like a strict father. When the father is strict, the children have to be a little careful.”
However, Chopra mentioned that Gambhir is not like that big brother who is always there for his juniors, saying the KKR mentor is more of a “my way or the highway” type of leader, and this approach may not always work well with a group of experienced players.
He signed off by saying, “When you have very senior players in the team, you are looking for a big brother who keeps his hand on their shoulders and doesn’t try to impose himself. However, that’s not going to happen with Gautam. It’s simple for Gautam – my way or the highway. So, things might not go in your favor every time in a senior group.”
Notably, Rahul Dravid’s stint as India’s head coach will end with the conclusion of the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024 in the USA and Caribbean.
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