There is no bigger honour than coaching your national team: Gambhir

NEW DELHI: While speculations are rife for Team India’s head coach, former India batsman Gautam Gambhir on Sunday expressed his interest in taking over the reins of the national side from Rahul Dravid. Gambhir, who recently led the Kolkata Knight Riders to their first Indian Premier League title in 10 years, is considered the frontrunner for the job after Dravid ends his tenure after the T20 World Cup. The last date to apply for the head coach role was May 27, but it is still not clear if Gambhir has submitted his application. “I would love to coach the Indian team. There is no bigger honour than coaching your national team,” Gambhir said at an event in Abu Dhabi.

You are representing 140 crore Indians and people from all over the world.” When a student asked him about coaching the Indian cricket team and helping them win the World Cup with his experience, Gambhir replied, “I have not answered this question though many people have asked me. But I have to answer you now. “140 crore Indians are the ones who will help India win the World Cup. If everyone starts praying for us and we start playing and representing them, India will win the World Cup. The most important thing is to be fearless,” Gambhir said. Earlier this week, former India captain Sourav Ganguly had backed Gambhir for the role of India’s head coach, saying, “He is a good candidate.” Gambhir, who retired from international cricket in 2008, was an integral member of the Indian team that won the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007 and the 2011 ODI World Cup. “A safe dressing room is a happy dressing room, and a happy dressing room turns into a winning dressing room. The only thing I did at KKR was to follow this mantra. By God’s grace, it really worked,” Gambhir said.