Following his appointment as the head coach of the Indian cricket team, Gautam Gambhir will be tasked with maintaining high performance across two World Cup tournaments, the Australia tour, and the Champions Trophy.
BCCI Secretary Jay Shah selected Gautam Gambhir to succeed Rahul Dravid. Gambhir’s tenure will commence with the Sri Lanka tour and span 3.5 years, covering five ICC tournaments during this period.
The Indian team will tour Sri Lanka at the end of July, playing a series of ODI and T20 matches. Subsequently, they will tour Australia for a five-match Test series. In February 2025, the Champions Trophy will be held in Pakistan, though it’s unclear if India will participate. The World Test Championship final is set for 2025, followed by a five-Test series in England.
In 2026, India will host the T20 World Cup, where the team will aim to defend their title—a significant challenge for Gambhir. Later that year, India will tour New Zealand for two Test matches. The World Test Championship final and the ODI World Cup are both scheduled for 2027, making for a packed schedule and considerable pressure on Gambhir.
BCCI has yet to announce Gambhir’s salary as head coach, emphasizing the importance of his role over financial details. Historically, figures like Ravi Shastri addressed salary negotiations post-appointment, a pattern expected to continue with Gambhir. Reports suggest Gambhir may receive a salary comparable to that of Shastri and Dravid.
Gambhir’s Major Test: The Australia Tour
One of Gambhir’s most significant challenges will be the Australia tour, where India previously secured back-to-back Test series victories under Ravi Shastri in 2018-19 and 2020-21. The five-Test series, the first of its kind between the two nations in 33 years, will kick off on a bouncy Perth pitch.
While Gambhir has extensive experience strategizing for Delhi in the Ranji Trophy between 2013-17, his capabilities as a red ball coach will be tested during this series. This tour will also be crucial for India’s qualification for the World Test Championship, making it a decisive moment in Gambhir’s coaching career.
