The Indian team has enjoyed a great period of successful coaching under Rahul Dravid; now, the question is regarding his replacement. According to several sources, the previous opening batsman, Gautam Gambhir, has the highest chance of clinching the desired position.
Gambhir, who has been developing his coaching career in IPL, was one of the two candidates before WV Raman was interviewed by the CAC. The BCCI is in the last stage of contract discussions involving Gambhir, and once the matter of salary has been determined, the news shall be released.
As for the head coach’s remuneration, the board has been mum on the specifics, leaving the decision ‘open’ and mentioning that it is negotiable and the fee shall be determined based on experience. ‘ Gambhir’s cost will, in all probability, be higher than Dravid’s ₹ 12 crore annually.
In the meantime, in Zimbabwe, the team is being mentored by NCA head VVS Laxman, but barring secretary Jay Shah has confirmed that the team will go to Sri Lanka for a white-ball series under the new head coach. The BCCI will also soon issue advertisements for such candidates expressing their interest in working in the team’s support staff, and Gambhir will likely get the authority to select his team.
