Photo Credit: Facebook Photo of Gautam Gambhir
After India’s triumphant Champions Trophy win, the players have scattered to their respective IPL franchises. However, Gautam Gambhir, the head coach of the Indian cricket team, has other plans. Rather than focusing on the IPL, Gambhir intends to utilize his free time to strengthen Indian cricket by overseeing and taking charge of additional India A tours. Since stepping into the coaching role following India’s T20 World Cup victory last year, Gambhir has faced challenges in keeping the team’s Test performance on track. India suffered a 0-3 whitewash against New Zealand at home and later lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to Australia.
With the upcoming five-Test series in England looming, Gambhir is taking proactive steps to ensure a better outcome. In talks with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), he has expressed a strong interest in accompanying the India A team on their tour to the UK. This will allow him to closely monitor emerging talent. A tours, once a staple of Indian cricket, have seen a significant decline in recent years. Gambhir, however, is determined to revive their significance, taking a hands-on approach unlike his predecessors Rahul Dravid and Ravi Shastri, who generally chose to step back during the IPL.
In fact, Gambhir’s decision to lead an India A tour highlights his commitment to discovering and nurturing future cricketers. “One of the crucial issues identified is reviving India ‘A’ tours. There have been only a handful ‘A’ series after Dravid left NCA and all of those were shadow tours for a marquee series. Gambhir too believes that there needs to be more ‘A’ tours. That’s why he wants to take stock of the situation firsthand,” a source told Hindustan Times.
Since returning from Australia, Gambhir has been in discussions with the BCCI about this initiative. “Gambhir has been in discussions with the BCCI since he returned from Australia. He has expressed his desire to travel with the India ‘A’ team to get a clearer view of the reserve pool,” said a source, adding, “With India winning the Champions Trophy after Gambhir’s insistence for certain wild card players, one may expect him to assert more in future.”
While it is still unclear whether Gambhir will join the India A team as a mentor or take on the coaching role currently held by VVS Laxman, one thing is certain: Gambhir is fully committed to this initiative. His focus is on unearthing hidden talent from India’s vast pool of players, with a particular focus on the 2027 World Cup and the upcoming World Test Championship cycle. As a two-time World Cup winner, Gambhir is passionate about identifying and nurturing the next generation of cricketers who can represent India at the highest level.
With the five-Test series against England starting on June 20, Gambhir plans to arrive in the UK early to begin his efforts.
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Name of Author: Cricexec Staff
