With the international cricket season pausing for the Indian team after the ICC Champions Trophy, players are returning to their IPL franchises. However, head coach Gautam Gambhir is planning to get back into action sooner than anticipated. He is expected to join the India ‘A’ team before the senior team’s England tour in June. Reports suggest Gambhir will be the first Indian team head coach to accompany the A side on an international tour.
In recent years, the BCCI has typically assigned National Cricket Academy coaches to India A and U19 teams. Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman, both former NCA coaches, have previously guided junior teams on such tours. After Dravid became the senior team’s head coach, Laxman and other coaches took over the India A and U19 responsibilities.
Gambhir, however, aims to change this pattern and has reportedly communicated his intentions to the board. Neither Rahul Dravid nor Ravi Shastri, during their tenures as head coaches of the senior Indian team, traveled with the India A team. This makes Gambhir’s upcoming assignment quite unique.
According to reports, it remains unclear whether Gambhir’s England trip will be as a spectator or as an active part of the India A coaching setup. Having recently returned from an unsuccessful campaign in Australia, Gambhir is eager to assist India’s red-ball cricket team in regaining its strength. A thorough analysis of the talent pool is considered essential for this purpose.
A BCCI source mentioned that Gambhir has been in discussions with the board since his return from Australia. He has expressed interest in traveling with the India ‘A’ team to gain a clearer understanding of the available reserve players. Following India’s Champions Trophy victory, which involved some wildcard players Gambhir advocated for, he is likely to have a stronger influence in the future.
Gambhir also believes that the current number of India ‘A’ tours organized by the board is insufficient. He is advocating for more such tours to be scheduled.
The source further stated that a key concern identified is the revitalization of India ‘A’ tours. Since Dravid’s departure from the NCA, there have been very few ‘A’ series, mostly serving as shadow tours for major series. Gambhir also believes in the necessity of increased ‘A’ tours and intends to assess the situation firsthand.
