Watch: Gautam Gambhir gets a warm hug from KKR co-owner Shah Rukh Khan ahead of joining Team India as head coach

Former India opener Gautam Gambhir will join the Indian cricket team as the new head coach. Gambhir recently inspired the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to a third IPL title as a mentor but had to part ways with the franchise after just one season.

Just a few months ago, Gambhir received a lot of praise from KKR co-owner Shah Rukh Khan for leading the team to a historic victory in the IPL 2024 final when they defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad in Chennai. The Bollywood Superstar kissed Gambhir’s forehead to acknowledge his contribution to the team’s success.

Before joining Team India as head coach, Gambhir had a heartwarming encounter with Khan at Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant’s wedding in Mumbai. In a viral video, SRK was seen hugging the former Indian captain before the two had a brief chat.

Gambhir will be in charge of the Sri Lanka tour, which begins in Pallekele on July 27. However, according to PTIThe financial details of his appointment as India coach are yet to be worked out.

But that’s the last thing he’s worried about right now, as he’s focused on finding the right support staff to prepare for the huge challenges that await him during his three-year stint.

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“For Gautam, it was important that he took charge and that the salary and other things could be sorted out because it is not going anywhere. It is similar to the case of Ravi Shastri in 2014 when he became Director of Cricket for the first time instead of head coach Duncan Fletcher,” a source was quoted by the news agency as saying.

The report further revealed that Gambhir will have his own team to work with and will work closely with the coaches from the NCA (National Cricket Academy), who oversee the teams on the route (India A and U-19) and the targeted players.

“For Gautam, it was important that he took charge and that the salary and other things could be sorted out because it is not going anywhere. It is similar to the case of Ravi Shastri in 2014 when he became Director of Cricket for the first time instead of head coach Duncan Fletcher,” a source was quoted by the news agency as saying.

The report further revealed that Gambhir will have his own team to work with and will work closely with the coaches from the NCA (National Cricket Academy), who oversee the teams on the route (India A and U-19) and the targeted players.