BCCI secretary Jay Shah recently made the exciting announcement on his social media account that Gautam Gambhir will be the new head coach of the Indian team. Gambhir will be taking over from Rahul Dravid after India’s historic victory in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.
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Gambhir’s first challenge as the new coach will be leading the team against Sri Lanka in a three-match ODI and T20I series on their home ground. The Sri Lankan team will also be under the guidance of a new interim coach, Sanath Jayasuriya.
Prior to the start of Gambhir’s coaching tenure, The Sporting News takes a look back at the most memorable moments of the former Indian opener as both a player and coach.
Top Four Highlights of Gautam Gambhir’s Playing and Coaching Career
Match-Winning Innings in the ICC T20 World Cup Final – 2007
The inaugural ICC T20 World Cup was a tournament to remember, especially for India. Facing arch-rivals Pakistan in the final, Gambhir played a crucial innings of 75 runs off 54 balls as India posted a total of 157/5. Pakistan fell just 5 runs short of India’s total in a historic moment for Indian cricket.
READ MORE: Who will be part of Gautam Gambhir’s backroom staff in the Indian cricket team?
A 97 Greater Than a Century – ICC ODI World Cup Final 2011
In the 2011 ODI World Cup final against Sri Lanka, Gambhir’s 97-run partnership with Virat Kohli and later with MS Dhoni led India to victory while chasing a target of 275 runs. Gambhir’s heroic performance in the final made him a national hero once again.
READ MORE: Prime Minister Modi shares ‘real story’ of T20 World Cup win
Two-Time IPL Champion with KKR
Aside from his success with the national team, Gambhir enjoyed a stellar IPL career. Leading Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to two IPL titles in 2012 and 2014, he became a beloved figure for the Eden Gardens faithful.
READ MORE: Rohit Sharma bids emotional farewell to Rahul Dravid
2024 IPL Win as Mentor
After mentoring Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) to a top-four finish in the previous season, Gambhir returned to KKR as a mentor and led them to a dominant IPL title win in 2024. KKR finished first in the table with 9 wins in 14 games and triumphed over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the playoffs.