Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], June 3 (ANI): Former Indian skipper and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly on Monday said that he would like to coach the Indian team and also backed former batter Gautam Gambhir to be a great coach for Men in Blue.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is evaluating the next head coach as the stint of Rahul Dravid is about to reach its conclusion following the end of the T20 World Cup 2024 in June.
Speaking to the media in Kolkata, Ganguly said, “I would love to coach the Indian team. If he wants to do it, I think he will be a very good candidate.”
The 2011 World Cup winner Gambhir, interacted with students during an event at Medeor Hospital on Sunday, in Abu Dhabi. One of the students asked him about coaching the Indian team and helping them win the World Cup with his experience.
“I have not answered this question, although a lot of people have asked me. But I have to answer you now. 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 those across the globe as well,” Gambhir said with a smile on his face.
On the wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant and Team India participating in the ICC T20 World Cup, Ganguly backed both the team and Pant to come good in the tournament.
“He (Rishabh Pant) will play well. He is a good player. The World Cup has not yet started, India is playing its warm-up matches. On 5th June, they are playing their first game. They will do well, they are a good side,” said Ganguly.
India will start their T20 World Cup campaign on June 5 against Ireland at the newly constructed Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York.
Meanwhile, the most-awaited blockbuster clash between India and Pakistan will take place on June 9. They will later play tournament co-hosts USA (June 12) and Canada (June 15) to wrap up their Group A matches.
In the tournament, India will be aiming to end their ICC trophy drought, having last won the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013. Since then, India has reached the 50-over World Cup final in 2023, semifinal in 2015 and 2019, the title clash of the ICC World Test Championship in 2021 and 2023, T20 WC final in 2014, semifinals in 2016 and 2022 but failed to secure a big ICC trophy.
India squad: Rohit Sharma (C), Hardik Pandya (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj
Reserves: Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed and Avesh Khan. (ANI)
