Gautam Gambhir has been announced as India's next head coach, succeeding Rahul Dravid, who concluded his tenure after leading India to victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup, BCCI secretary Jay Shah announced on X (formerly Twitter).
"It is with immense pleasure that I welcome Mr Gautam Gambhir as the new Head Coach of the Indian Cricket Team," Shah said in a statement.
Gambhir scored over 10,000 international runs during his 13-year-long international career for India since his ODI debut in 2003.
"Modern-day cricket has evolved rapidly, and Gautam has witnessed this changing landscape up close," Shah added.
"Having endured the grind and excelled in various roles throughout his career, I am confident that Gautam is the ideal person to steer Indian Cricket forward.
"His clear vision for Team India, coupled with his vast experience, positions him perfectly to take on this exciting and most sought-after coaching role," he concluded.
Gambhir's first assignment in charge will be a white-ball tour of Sri Lanka, comprising three ODIs and three T20Is, later this month.
"India is my identity and serving my country has been the greatest privilege of my life," he said on X.
"I'm honoured to be back, albeit wearing a different hat. But my goal is the same as it has always been, to make every Indian proud. The men in blue shoulder the dreams of 1.4 billion Indians and I will do everything in my power to make these dreams come true," he added.
Before joining KKR in November 2023, Gambhir served as a mentor for the Lucknow Super Giants during the IPL seasons of 2022 and 2023, aiding them in qualifying for the playoffs in both seasons.
These are the only coaching roles he has undertaken since the conclusion of his playing career. Throughout his India career, Gambhir played pivotal roles in securing victories in the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 ODI World Cup, top-scoring for India in the finals of both tournaments. He also captained KKR to two IPL titles, in 2012 and 2014.
It must be noted 2024 T20 World Cup was Dravid's last assignment. India are currently playing Zimbabwe series where VVS Laxman is serving as interim head coach.