The BCCI is considering the appointment of both Gautam Gambhir and WV Raman for coaching roles in the Indian men's cricket team, according to recent reports. Until Monday, Gambhir was the frontrunner to replace Rahul Dravid as head coach, with reports suggesting that the BCCI had nearly finalized a deal with him. The official announcement was expected to follow the conclusion of India's campaign in the ongoing 2024 T20 World Cup.
However, Gambhir now faces competition from the experienced WV Raman, who was interviewed by BCCI's Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) on Tuesday. Raman, who has played 28 international matches, brings extensive coaching experience to the table. He has a deeper coaching background compared to Gambhir, who has mentored two IPL franchises over the last three seasons, including the Kolkata Knight Riders, who won the IPL trophy under his mentorship.
Raman's coaching resume includes stints with Tamil Nadu and Bengal in the domestic circuit, as well as roles in the IPL. He served as an assistant coach for the Punjab franchise in 2013 and as a batting coach for KKR. From 2018 to 2021, he was the head coach of the Indian women's cricket team. Notably, Gambhir sought Raman's help to regain form in 2013, and they later reunited at KKR in 2014, leading to a successful season where KKR won their second IPL trophy.
A fresh report from News18 on Wednesday hinted that given Raman's experience and impressive interview for the head coach role, the BCCI might sign both candidates. A source familiar with the developments suggested that the board could utilize both Gambhir and Raman's expertise in various capacities. Options include appointing Gambhir as head coach and Raman as batting coach or assigning Raman a more significant role in red-ball cricket.The report also noted that while there were rumors about interviewing an overseas candidate for the head coach role, this has not occurred yet, leaving the competition between the two Indian contenders.
