File photo of KKR co-owner Shah Rukh Khan and Gautam Gambhir.© X (Twitter)
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), according to several reports, is interested in Gautam Gambhir taking over the role of Indian cricket team coach. Amid lack of alternatives, because of certain overseas coaches’ withdrawal, the BCCI don’t seem to have many top options when it comes to finding Rahul Dravid’s successor as Team India’s head coach. A report has now claimed that Gambhir, who is the mentor of Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2024 at present, was offered a ‘blank cheque’ by the franchise’s co-owner Shah Rukh Khan to join the franchise for the next 10 years, when he was at Lucknow Super Giants.
A report in Dainik Jagran has suggested that Gambhir is also interested in the India head coach job. But, wants a guarantee over his 100% selection if he fills out the application for the role. If the BCCI is only looking at Gambhir as one of the ‘candidates’, he isn’t going to apply.
As the BCCI looks to intensify its effort of giving a contract to Gambhir, the report revealed the KKR co-owner Shah Rukh Khan intent of keeping the former India opener at the franchise for a long time. The Bollywood actor is said to have made a ‘blank cheque’ offer to Gambhir to join the IPL franchise for the next 10 years.
The BCCI has already faced rejections by the likes of Ricky Ponting, Justin Langer and Stephen Fleming over potentially succeeding Rahul Dravid as India’s head coach. BCCI secretary Jay Shah, however, denied making an offer to any former Australian cricketer.
In fact, Shah suggested that the board wants the sort of person at the helm who understands India’s domestic cricket structure.
“Neither I nor the BCCI have approached any former Australian cricketer with a coaching offer,” Shah said in a statement. “The reports circulating in certain media sections are completely incorrect.”
“Finding the right coach for our national team is a meticulous and thorough process. We are focused on identifying individuals who possess a deep understanding of the Indian cricket structure and have risen through the ranks,” Shah had said.
Gambhir might be interested in becoming India’s next head coach but what conversation he has with SRK over leaving KKR might be a big deciding factor.
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