BCCI turns down Gautam Gambhir's bowling coach request; approaches World Cup-winning starGautam Gambhir's appointment was officially confirmed on Tuesday, however, the details regarding his support staff are still pending.
Additionally, former Indian fast bowler Vinay Kumar is also rumored to be part of Gambhir's coaching team.
Instead, they are leaning towards choosing one of Gambhir's former India teammates - the World Cup-winning Zaheer Khan.
Zaheer, India's third-highest wicket-taker among pacers in ODIs, is being considered by the BCCI and could potentially be chosen over other candidates.
"BCCI discussing the names of Zaheer Khan and Lakshmipathy Balaji for the position of bowling coach.
BCCI turns down Gautam Gambhir's bowling coach request; approaches World Cup-winning star
Gautam Gambhir's appointment was officially confirmed on Tuesday, however, the details regarding his support staff are still pending.
After India's victory at the T20 World Cup, the conclusion of Rahul Dravid's coaching tenure, and the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from T20s, Indian cricket under Gautam Gambhir is poised to embark on a new trajectory. As with any transition in leadership, Gambhir will assemble his own support staff, replacing the departing Vikram Rathour, Paras Mhambrey, and T Dilip as batting, bowling, and fielding coaches, respectively. This change signals a fresh chapter in Indian cricket, with Gambhir at the helm steering the team towards continued success and growth.
Gautam Gambhir's appointment was officially confirmed on Tuesday, however, the details regarding his support staff are still pending. Speculations are circulating about potential candidates, with Jonty Rhodes being considered for the role of fielding coach. Nevertheless, reports suggest that Gambhir has expressed his confidence in Abhishek Nayar, the current batting coach for KKR, to join him. Additionally, former Indian fast bowler Vinay Kumar is also rumored to be part of Gambhir's coaching team.
A recent report from ANI has revealed that the board may not share the same opinion as Gambhir when it comes to selecting India's next bowling coach. Instead, they are leaning towards choosing one of Gambhir's former India teammates - the World Cup-winning Zaheer Khan. Zaheer, India's third-highest wicket-taker among pacers in ODIs, is being considered by the BCCI and could potentially be chosen over other candidates. Another contender, who Gambhir is familiar with, is also in the running. It seems like the competition for the position is heating up, with Zaheer Khan emerging as a strong contender.
"BCCI discussing the names of Zaheer Khan and Lakshmipathy Balaji for the position of bowling coach. BCCI is not interested in the name of Vinay Kumar," sources told ANI.
Zaheer Khan, one of India's most decorated fast bowlers of all time with an impressive 610 international wickets, is a 2011 World Cup winner and finished as the tournament's leading wicket-taker. After announcing his retirement in 2014, Zaheer joined the Mumbai Indians coaching staff before transitioning to broadcasting with a prominent website.
On the other hand, Lakshmipathy Balaji, with 71 wickets, may not have had the most illustrious career as an Indian fast bowler, but his coaching credentials speak for themselves. Following his retirement in 2016, Balaji delved into coaching and served as the bowling coach for the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2017, and later with the Chennai Super Kings for five successful seasons.
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