Former India head coach Rahul Dravid has been approached by the Indian Premier League-based Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) management to join the franchise as the team mentor, filling the vacancy left by Gautam Gambhir, according to a media report.
News18 Bangla reported that Dravid, whose coaching tenure with Team India concluded with their T20 World Cup 2024 victory last month, is a leading candidate to replace Gambhir, who is set to succeed Dravid as the head coach of the senior men’s team.
KKR, fresh off their IPL 2024 triumph in May, is desperately looking for someone of Dravid’s caliber to fill the significant void. The former India captain is also on the radar of other franchises in the IPL.
Dravid’s transition period
Following the World Cup final, Dravid humorously told reporters that he would soon be “unemployed”. His tenure with Team India was extended in November after their ODI World Cup final loss to Australia in Ahmedabad, thanks to captain Rohit Sharma’s persuasion.
The extension proved fruitful as India went on to win the T20 World Cup.
Gambhir’s new role
The Indian cricket community is abuzz with rumours that Gambhir is set to replace Dravid as the head coach of the Indian men’s cricket team.
Gambhir recently recorded a farewell video at Eden Gardens, which went viral on social media, signalling his departure from KKR.
Gambhir’s legacy with KKR
Gambhir returned to KKR this year and led them to an IPL victory as a mentor, marking his third title with the franchise and first in a non-playing role.
Co-owner Shah Rukh Khan reportedly had a 10-year plan for Gambhir with KKR.
However, Gambhir’s patriotic spirit has driven him to apply for the head coach’s position with Team India, and an official announcement from BCCI secretary Jay Shah is expected soon.
Future announcements
As the Indian cricket fraternity eagerly awaits, the potential shuffle involving Dravid and Gambhir signifies a significant transition for both the national team and the KKR franchise.
The coming weeks will reveal how these changes will shape the future of Indian cricket.
(The article is published under a mutual content partnership arrangement between The Free Press Journal and Connected to India)
