The first challenge Gambhir faces is to find his footing and build camaraderie in a dressing room with players he was previously teammates with -\u2013 like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli among others. Rajat Bhatia, the former all-rounder for Delhi and Kolkata Knight Riders, believes Gambhir\u2019s ability to support players and everyone associated with the team will be advantageous for him.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cHe backs not only the players but also the coaching staff. That is one of the reasons why KKR won \u2013- they had a good side and there is no doubt about that. Chandrakant Pandit and Abhishek Nayar are very good coaches and they already were doing their part in a very decent manner.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cBut I think Gautam Gambhir was one of the missing links which they required. He\u2019s the kind of guy who normally can make decisions and back his own team. Before the start of IPL 2024, I predicted that he is going to make Sunil Narine open again because that is the same formula he used in 2014. So, he believes one of the formulas applied before can give him a correct answer, and that is what he is going to apply again and again,\u201d says Bhatia to IANS.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Gambhir\u2019s route to becoming the head coach of the Indian team has involved taking on mentorship roles in the IPL, despite lacking substantial coaching experience beforehand. This was also the case for Ravi Shastri and Anil Kumble when they were appointed to the top job in the Indian team.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Under Gambhir\u2019s mentorship, Lucknow Super Giants entered playoffs in consecutive seasons. He then switched to mentoring Kolkata Knight Riders \u2014 the team he led to two IPL titles \u2014 and got them the trophy in May.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Though Bhatia admits to being a little bit concerned about Gambhir\u2019s lack of coaching roles beyond being the mentor of LSG and KKR respectively, at the same time, he feels the two-time World Cup winner can switch seamlessly from a mentor to head coach.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cNow, a different name is being given to this kind of job. If you normally see, a mentor and coach are very similar now. You just need your staff \u2013 like a batting coach or an assistant coach. Already you get so much of staff and it would be right to call that he is a mentor plus coach of the Indian cricket team now.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a guy who has already played for India for so many years and has really performed well in the two white-ball World Cup finals. I always feel he can make an optimistic transition to coaching, as it\u2019s not like he is not having any kind of experience before.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cHe did this mentorship for two IPL teams. Just a few months back, KKR became an IPL champion. So, he\u2019s in a positive frame of mind in going into the Indian team as a coach. It will definitely help him; so, let\u2019s hope for the best, that\u2019s what I can say.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Gambhir\u2019s tenure will also involve managing the transition between different formats of the game for the Indian team. The retirements of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja mark the initiation of the transition in T20Is.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The Test setup underwent incremental changes after the series against the West Indies last year, and there are plans for more substantial transitions post the World Test Championship final in 2025. India\u2019s ODI side will also undergo a transition once the 2025 Champions Trophy concludes.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Besides the transitions, Gambhir will also need to juggle the workload of several crucial players and effectively prepare for the five-match Test tours of Australia (later this year) and England (next year).<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cHe has to take these challenges head-on because we just won a T20 World Cup when Rahul Dravid was there. So, definitely, it is going to be a challenge for him to maintain that kind of standard and that is the most difficult part.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cYou can become a champion, but to stay like a champion is much more difficult, like how West Indies and Australia ruled international cricket. So, it is going to be a challenge for him to keep that standard on,\u201d adds Bhatia.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
There have been reports suggesting Abhishek Nayar, R. Vinay Kumar, Lakshmipathy Balaji, and Ryan ten Doeschate are in consideration for joining Gambhir\u2019s support staff, something which doesn\u2019t surprise Bhatia.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cThere are many things that Gautam Gambhir would like to have. Like, he believes in his own people. He has that kind of trust in those guys and he will bring them into the system.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
There have been reports suggesting Abhishek Nayar, R. Vinay Kumar, Lakshmipathy Balaji, and Ryan ten Doeschate are in consideration for joining Gambhir\u2019s support staff, something which doesn\u2019t surprise Bhatia.<\/p>\r\n\r\n