Gautam Gambhir

Gambhir, who recently led the Kolkata Knight Riders to victory in the IPL 2024 as their mentor, has been appointed as the new head coach of the Indian team, succeeding Rahul Dravid. Shastri believes Gambhir’s recent success and contemporary outlook will be beneficial. “He’s contemporary, he just had a great season in the IPL. I think he’s the right age where he’s young, he’ll come with fresh ideas. He knows most of the players, especially in the white-ball format, having been part of teams in the IPL. So, I think it’s refreshing.”

"Head Coach Gautam Gambhir Takes Charge!" read the caption from the BCCI.

Speaking at his inaugural press conference as head coach, Gambhir described his dynamic with Kohli as "between two mature individuals," acknowledging its appeal for media ratings but emphasizing its private nature. He stated, "Good for the TRP, but my relationship is not public. What kind of relationship do I share with Virat Kohli, I think it is between two mature individuals."