Team India head coach prospect Gautam Gambhir said there is no bigger honour than coaching the national cricket team. After a triumphant return as Kolkata Knight Riders mentor in IPL 2024, Gambhir has emerged as the front-runner to take over as head coach from Rahul Dravid after the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup. The unsung hero of India’s two most recent World Cup triumphs, Gambhir said it is not just him who can lead India to another major title but the united prayers of 140 crore Indians.
“I would love to coach the Indian team. There is no bigger honour than coaching your national team. You are representing 140 crore Indians and people across the world,” the 42-year-old said at an event in Abu Dhabi.
#Watch | Abu Dhabi, UAE: “…I would love to coach the Indian team. There is no bigger honour than to coach your national team. You are representing 140 crore Indians and people across the world and when you represent India, how can it be bigger than that? It’s not for me… pic.twitter.com/vWHJSXLyY0
– ANI (@ANI) June 2, 2024
Earlier this week, former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly had backed Gambhir for the role of India’s head coach, saying “he is a good candidate”. Gambhir was addressing a gathering of students at Medeor Hospital in Abu Dhabi.
When a student asked him about coaching the Indian cricket team and his experience in helping them win the World Cup, Gambhir replied, “I have not answered this question although a lot of people have asked me. But I have to answer you now.”
Gambhir said, “It is these 140 crore Indians who will help India win the World Cup. If everyone starts praying for us and we start playing and representing them, India will win the World Cup. The most important thing is to be fearless.”
The former opener, who was on a private visit to the UAE, visited the sports medicine department of Medeor Hospital.
During the visit, he met young cricket enthusiasts from various academies in Abu Dhabi and shared his inspiring journey and recent achievements.
Gambhir, who was a key member of the Indian team that won the 2007 World T20 and the 2011 ODI World Cup, was praised for his recent success with KKR.
He said, “A safe dressing room is a happy dressing room and a happy dressing room eventually becomes a winning dressing room. All I did at KKR was follow this mantra. By God’s grace it really worked.”
(With PTI inputs)
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