Gautam Gambhir 'in discussion with BCCI', to sacrifice free time for Indian cricket: 'He has expressed his desire to...'

Following India's Champions Trophy win, the players have scattered to join their respective IPL franchises. However, Gautam Gambhir, the head coach of the Indian cricket team, has different plans. He intends to utilise his free time to enhance Indian cricket by overseeing and taking charge of additional A tours. Since assuming the coaching role following India's T20 World Cup victory last year, Gambhir has faced challenges in maintaining the team's Test performance. India suffered a 0-3 whitewash against New Zealand at home and subsequently lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to Australia. Gautam Gambhir is eager to unearth the next generation of Indian cricketers(PTI)

To prevent a repeat of recent disappointments during India's upcoming five-Test series in England, set to take place over the next three months, Gambhir is taking proactive steps. In consultations with the BCCI, he has expressed his desire to join the India 'A' tour to the UK, where he can closely monitor emerging talents. Once a regular feature of Indian cricket, A tours have significantly declined in recent years, but Gambhir is determined to revive their importance. Unlike his predecessors, Rahul Dravid and Ravi Shastri, who preferred to step back during the IPL, Gambhir is actively preparing to lead an India A tour, ensuring fresh and promising players get the spotlight they deserve.

"Gambhir has been in discussions with the BCCI since he returned from Australia. He has expressed his desire to travel with the India 'A' team to get a clearer view of the reserve pool. With India winning the Champions Trophy after Gambhir's insistence for certain wild card players, one may expect him to assert more in future," The Times of India quoted a source as saying.

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How will Gambhir approach India A tours?

Whether Gambhir will join the India A team as a mentor or step into the coaching role currently held by VVS Laxman remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: GG is fully committed to this initiative. The core mission behind reviving the A tour initiative is to unearth talent from India's vast pool of players. With his sights set on the 2027 World Cup and the upcoming World Test Championship cycle, Gambhir, a two-time World Cup winner is determined to scout and nurture the next generation of cricketers capable of proudly representing India.

With the five-Test series against England kicking off on June 20, Gambhir plans to arrive in the UK early to kickstart his efforts. Notably, A tours were once a regular fixture in Indian cricket during Rahul Dravid's tenure as their coach, but their frequency dwindled after he transitioned to leading the senior men’s team. With Gambhir now at the helm of this revival, there's optimism that the golden era of A tours – and Indian cricket's talent pipeline – could make a triumphant return.

"One of the crucial issues identified is reviving India 'A' tours. There have been only a handful 'A' series after Dravid left NCA and all of those were shadow tours for a marquee series. Gambhir too believes that there needs to be more 'A' tours. That's why he wants to take stock of the situation firsthand," the source said.

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