Former England cricketer Graeme Swann believes that Kolkata Knight Riders team mentor Gautam Gambhir would make a “brilliant” head coach for India.
Rahul Dravid’s tenure as the head coach of the Indian men’s team is set to conclude after the T20 World Cup ends in June.
Last week, ESPNcricinfo reported that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) approached former cricketer Gautam Gambhir to replace Rahul Dravid as India’s head coach. Swann commented on this development, saying, “GG has done a great job, and if he is the head coach he will be brilliant. He was a great leader, a great captain, and a great batsman, and a lot of people look up to him and that has been shown in the way KKR responded to his mentorship.”
In addition to Gambhir, Chennai Super Kings head coach Stephen Fleming has also emerged as a potential candidate for the head coach position. Gambhir’s impact on the Kolkata Knight Riders has been particularly noticeable in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024.
After leading KKR for seven years, Gambhir returned to the two-time champions not as a player but in a managerial role. The former KKR captain was announced as the team mentor in November last year. Since his return, KKR has rekindled their fighting spirit, finishing at the top of the table for the first time in the history of the competition.
This season, KKR finished the group stage at the top of the table with 20 points in 14 matches and a net run rate of 1.428. They dominated Sunrisers Hyderabad in Qualifier 1, securing an 8-wicket win to seal their place in the final on Sunday at Chepauk.
KKR’s opponent for the final is yet to be decided as the Sunrisers take on the Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2 on Friday.
