Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has stated that it does not really matter who the coach is for a team to succeed at ICC events. The remarks by Manjrekar come at a time when team India will take the field for the first time on Saturday under Gambhir’s coaching.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Gambhir said, “No coach, Lalchand Rajput, Gary Kirsten & Dravid. Coaches when India won WCs in 1983, 2007, 2011 & 2023. It’s really about Indian cricket, not who the coach is. Time we stop thinking there is a direct correlation.”
Notably, Gambhir was appointed as the next head coach of Team India earlier this month, taking over from his former teammate Rahul Dravid. Prior to his appointment with the Indian team, Gambhir also mentored Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2024 IPL season, where they lifted the trophy. Prior to that, Gambhir was also the mentor of Lucknow Super Giants and guided the team to 2 successive play-offs.
Gambhir also recently received a special message from Rahul Dravid, who wished him well in his new role and gave him some tips on how to handle himself in tough times.
In a video shared by BCCI, Dravid said, “Hello, Gautam, and welcome to the most exciting job in our world as coach of the Indian cricket team… I also wish you that little bit of luck. As you know, that all of us coaches need to make us look a little bit wiser and smarter than we actually are.”
“As your teammate, I saw you giving it your all on the field. As your batting partner and fellow fielder, I saw your resilience and your refusal to surrender. Across many IPL seasons, I noted your desire to win, your assistance to work with younger players, and your drive to extract the best out of your team on the field,” the former India cricketer added