Former opener and 2011 ODI World Cup winner Gautam Gambhir has been named the senior men’s team’s new head coach by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The former Indian hitter will be in charge of Team India’s forthcoming away series against Sri Lanka, which is scheduled to begin with three ODIs and three T20Is on July 27. The BCCI announced this information in a statement on Tuesday.

“The Cricket Advisory Committee comprising Ashok Malhotra, Jatin Paranjpe, and Sulakshana Naik on Tuesday unanimously recommended Gautam Gambhir as the Head Coach of Team India (Senior Men),” the BCCI told.

“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 #TeamIndia, coupled with his vast experience, positions him perfectly to take on this exciting and most sought-after coaching role. The @BCCI fully supports him as he embarks on this new journey,” he said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

A member of the 2011 ODI World Cup winning team, Gambhir most recently served as the Indian Premier League (IPL) consultant for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and had interviewed for the position of head coach alongside another former India opener, WV Raman.

The former left-handed opener greatly surprised everyone with his leadership qualities as he assisted KKR in winning the championship for the third time in 2024. He has previously led KKR to two IPL championships in 2012 and 2014. Before assuming the similar role at KKR, Gambhir, a former Delhi member of parliament, was the team mentor for the Lucknow Super Giants.

In order to select Rahul Dravid’s replacement, whose term concluded following the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, the BCCI opened applications for the aforementioned post on May 13. Following Jay Shah’s denial that the BCCI had discussed the position with any former Australian players, Gambhir and W.V. Raman, another former opener for India, showed up for the interview.

“The Board would like to take this opportunity to express its heartfelt gratitude to Dravid for his outstanding service as head coach. Dravid’s tenure was marked by significant achievements; the most noteworthy being crowned champions of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, in 2024. Team India also finished as runners-up in the ICC 50-over World Cup, 2023 hosted in India & the ICC World Test Championship in 2023 hosted in England,” the BCCI said in its statement.

“Gambhir has been a fierce competitor and a brilliant strategist. We believe he will bring the same tenacity and leadership to his role as Head Coach. His transition to the role of Head Coach is a natural progression, and I believe he will bring out the best in our players,” said Shah.

Shah expressed his belief that Gambhir will lead the team to unprecedented success. “I am confident that he will inspire and lead the team to new heights. His vision for the future of Indian cricket aligns perfectly with our goals, and we are excited about the journey ahead. Congratulations to him and best of luck for this new journey,” he said.

Gambhir expressed his gratitude for the appointment and expressed his excitement about working alongside VVS Laxman, the BCCI Head of Cricket and NCA chief.

“I have always taken pride in donning the Indian jersey during my playing days and it is going to be no different when I take up this new role. Cricket has been my passion and I look forward to working closely with the BCCI, Head of Cricket – VVS Laxman, the support staff, and, most importantly, the players, as we work towards achieving success in the upcoming tournaments,” he said.