Format-specific coaches for India? Jay Shah clarifies Gautam Gambhir's appointment

New Delhi: Gautam Gambhir officially began his tenure as the head coach of the Indian cricket team during the recent tour of Sri Lanka. While the team managed to clinch the T20I series, they fell short in the ODI series, despite the presence of veteran players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Gambhir, who replaced Rahul Dravid as the national team's head coach on July 9, 2024, after Dravid's contract terminated following the T20 World Cup in June, has sparked discussions about the future of coaching in Indian cricket.

BCCI's stance on format-specific coaching

Before Gambhir's appointment, there was speculation on social media about the Indian team potentially adopting a hybrid coaching model, with different coaches for different formats. However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decided against this approach, opting instead for continuity and stability.

BCCI Secretary Jay Shah, in a recent conversation with the Times of India, elaborated on the decision to appoint Gambhir as the all-format coach. "Once we have selected Gautam Gambhir, and if he is interested in coaching all three formats, who am I to say 'you can't coach a particular format'? More or less 70 percent of the players are the same across all formats," Shah explained.

Backup plans in place

Shah also emphasized the strength of the support system behind the head coach, citing the National Cricket Academy (NCA) as a key resource. "We have coaches from the NCA. When Rahul Dravid was taking a break, VVS Laxman used to step in," Shah added, underscoring the depth of coaching talent available to the national team.

Litmus test for Gambhir

Gambhir's first Test assignment as head coach will see India face Bangladesh in a two-match series next month. Notably, key players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Jasprit Bumrah will be absent from the Duleep Trophy, which precedes the much-anticipated Border Gavaskar Trophy scheduled for later this year. The selectors will need to closely monitor the performances in the Duleep Trophy as they prepare for the upcoming challenges.