Former India opener Gautam Gambhir, who is the frontrunner for the head coach position, was not the only candidate interviewed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday. Gambhir, who mentored the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to their third Indian Premier League (IPL) title with Shreyas Iyer and team, gained prominence in the selection process. However, recent reports indicate that the BCCI’s Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) also interviewed former cricketer WV Raman for the head coach role.
Current Indian head coach Rahul Dravid will step down after the T20 World Cup 2024, marking the end of his tenure with Rohit Sharma’s Team India. Dravid, who will coach the team featuring Virat Kohli in his final assignment, has confirmed that he will not be reapplying for the position after his contract expires in June. Gambhir, already a strong candidate for the head coach role, was initially thought to be the only applicant for the prestigious position.
According to a report by News18, it has been revealed that Gambhir and Raman were the two candidates interviewed by the top officials of the BCCI for the head coach position. Despite Raman’s presentation being described as ‘very impressive,’ the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) is scheduled to meet with an overseas candidate on Wednesday. Former India opener Gambhir participated in the meeting virtually from his home.
“Gambhir had a virtual interview but Raman’s presentation was very impressive and detailed. The CAC is likely to interview an overseas candidate tomorrow. Gambhir has the edge but Raman’s presentation was very thorough,” a BCCI official was quoted as saying.
The report also mentioned that the top cricket board in India has not yet made a decision regarding the vacancies for the support staff of the new head coach. “Yes, the head coach has a big say in these appointments because he would want people he is comfortable working with. Having said that, it’s not that straightforward and BCCI too can propose their own candidates or people they think are ideal for the job. Ultimately it will be Gautam Gambhir, who is likely to become the coach, who would decide his team,” the source added.