Top 3 Potential Replacements for Gautam Gambhir as Head Coach of the Indian National Cricket Team

Gautam Gambhir’s tenure as coach has been anything but ideal, with India only winning 5 out of the 15 tests played in this period. While it is a side in transition, India has suffered a whitewash at home against New Zealand, tarnishing an unblemished 12-year-long home record on his watch.

While his white ball fortunes have been favorable, with India winning the Champions trophy on his watch, his red ball fortunes have come up scarce, with India only winning 1 out of the 4 test series played during his tenure. With his record in mind, it may be time for India to start looking for the next Indian cricket team head coach in 2025. Here is a list of replacements that the Indian men’s team may consider for India’s upcoming red-ball and white-ball fixtures.

1. VVS Laxman

VVS Laxman has cemented his legacy as one of India’s batting greats with some of the most memorable innings ever played by an Indian batter. Proclaimed ‘The God of the 4th Innings,’ he has gone about playing some of the finest fourth-inning knocks in the history of test cricket. He is the current Head of Cricket at the NCA Academy; he is also the head coach for the Under-19 and the India A teams.

With a fair amount of coaching experience in his resume and his work coaching the youngsters in the Under-19 setup, Laxman could prove to be Gautam Gambhir’s replacement for this young Indian side and its youngsters who are coming up through the Under-19 or the developmental circuit. Laxman’s familiarity with the Indian domestic setup means that he will be better at scouting and guiding talent and training them for the international level.

While Gambhir’s appointment as coach came on the back of his white ball success with Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2024, Laxman, like Dravid, will have coached the Under-19 side before coaching the National team, meaning that he will have already spent time coaching and guiding talent that will eventually make it into the international fold.

2. Ricky Ponting

One of the most prolific batters from Australia and the third-highest run getter in test cricket, Ricky Ponting was also considered as an option for the head coach of the Indian Men’s cricket team before Gautam Gambhir’s appointment. This will break the tradition of former Indian cricketers being the head coach for the Indian men’s team since Gary Kirsten.

Ponting has recently worked with the Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals in the IPL. He has also coached teams in other franchise leagues, such as the Washington Freedom in Major League Cricket. His expertise about away conditions, especially in Australia and England, will prove to be an important asset for the Indian team, who have recently struggled on their away tours in the test format.

3. Mahela Jayawardene

Mahela Jayawardene, along with Kumar Sangakkara, was the stalwart of the Sri Lankan middle order for decades. Jayawardene’s batting was a technical masterclass, and he was at his best in home conditions in Sri Lanka. Jayawardene’s familiarity with subcontinental conditions may help the Indian team build up a fortress in subcontinental conditions.

Mahela Jayawardene has coached the Mumbai Indians since 2017 and also has coached the Southern Brave in The Hundred. His coaching in the IPL also means that he has prior experience with youngsters and the shortest format of the game. His appointment would also make him the first coach of the Indian men’s team of Sri Lankan origin.

The Future of the Indian Cricket Team

With the departures of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli (from T20s and tests), Ravichandran Ashwin, and Ravindra Jadeja (from T20s), the next India cricket team has been robbed of a lot of experience from their side. The new Indian team is a transitional side and is populated with youngsters and rising talent. In such an atmosphere the presence of a coach guiding the team becomes extremely necessary.

Gautam Gambhir’s recent track record may be calling for a change in coaching because of them conceding a whitewash defeat to New Zealand at home and losing the Border-Gavaskar trophy for the first time in ten years. While the recently tied series in England is a positive for the Indian team, a shake-up in the coaching staff may give the boost needed to get this young Indian squad back to their winning ways.