NEW DELHI:
Gautam Gambhir
, who is seen as a front-runner to replace
Rahul Dravid
as the next head coach of Team India, reportedly wants the former Mumbai Indians player to be his assistant coach.
Under Dravid's guidance, the
Indian cricket team
achieved a monumental feat by securing victory in the T20 World Cup 2024. This triumph marked the conclusion of an 11-year period during which the Men in Blue had not clinched any ICC trophies.
Dravid's tenure as the head coach culminated on a high note, with the team's success serving as a fitting testament to his leadership and expertise.
The former Indian opener Gambhir has expressed his desire to bring along
Abhishek Nayar
as his assistant coach for the Indian national team, as reported by the Bengali newspaper Aajkal. Nayar currently serves as Gambhir's assistant coach at the Kolkata Knight Riders franchise in the Indian Premier League.
The report suggests that Gambhir and Nayar have already reached a verbal agreement regarding this potential partnership. If Gambhir is appointed as the head coach of Team India, Nayar is expected to join him in the coaching staff. Nayar, who has represented India in ODI cricket, also holds the position of director at the KKR academy.
However, Gambhir, who played a crucial role in KKR's third title win in the IPL as team mentor, remained tigh-tlipped when he was asked about his prospects of becoming the national team's coach last month.
"I don't see that far ahead. You are grilling me, asking me all tough questions," he said.
"It is difficult to answer right now. All I can say is that I'm happy being here, just finished a brilliant journey (and) let's enjoy that. I'm in a very happy space right now," Gambhir said.
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