“My Kids are Young. I am Not in the Mood to…”: Ashish Nehra Explains Why He Didn’t Apply for India Coach Role

Ashish Nehra has shed light on why he chose not to apply for the India head coach position, despite being one of the names floating in the media. While Gautam Gambhir’s appointment as the new head coach was made official earlier this month, Nehra explained his decision in a recent interview.

Nehra, 45, highlighted that his children are still young, and he did not want to commit to a job that would require him to travel for nine months. He mentioned, “Meri abhi kabhi us tareh soch nahi gayi hai. My kids are young. GG ke bacche bhi abhi young hai par sabki soch alag alag hoti hai, toh I am very happy where I am. I am not in the mood to travel for nine months (I never thought about it. My children are still young. Gautam Gambhir also has young children, but everyone has different ideas. That’s why I am happy where I am. I am not in the mood to travel for nine months).”

Gambhir’s appointment follows his successful stint as the mentor of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The BCCI had a preference for an Indian coach, and Gambhir’s name was confirmed on July 9, succeeding Rahul Dravid. Nehra, who has also been mentioned in the media for the role, chose to prioritize his family commitments over the demanding schedule of the national team’s head coach position.

In a recent media briefing, Gambhir confirmed the appointment of two assistant coaches, Ryan Ten Doeschate and Abhishek Nayar, both of whom he worked closely with at KKR. The complete list of coaches will be finalized after the Sri Lanka tour. Gambhir expressed his satisfaction with the board’s support and his excitement to work with the new coaching staff.

Gambhir stated, “This is going to be the crux of the support staff. As I said, we still have one month after the Sri Lanka tour. We will try and finalize after the Sri Lanka tour. But, I have worked with people like Abhishek Nayar, Ryan Ten Doeschate very closely. In the last two months, especially in the IPL, I have enjoyed working with them. They are thorough professionals. Hope Ryan and Abhishek can have a successful stint.”

He further added, “Hopefully, we can have a successful tenure as coaches. I am really looking forward to work with the rest of the other guys as well. I have had some really good feedback from the players about the other guys. I am really looking forward to working with them. My experience and learning have been very simple.”