Why is BCCI delaying Gautam Gambhir's appointment as India head coach? Full details out

Gautam Gambhir is expected to take over as India head coach very soon. BCCI Secretary Jay Shah had revealed that India will get their new head coach from the upcoming white-ball tour of Sri Lanka, scheduled to kickoff later this month. With Gambhir reportedly even shooting his farewell video with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) camp, where he rejoined as team mentor in late 2023, the Indian cricket board is expected to announce the big decision very soon. Gambhir and WV Raman, former Indian cricketer and women's team coach, were among the only two applicants to go through the interview process, conduced by the Cricket Advisory Council (CAC). After the interview process, Gambhir was reportedly termed as the top contender. However, many are perplexed as to what is the delay in the official announcement with Gambhir looking set to take charge.

According to The Indian Express, Gambhir and BCCI are in the "final stages of salary negotiations",which is delaying the official announcement. Notably, the BCCI keeps the options open regarding the salary of the head coach of the senior men's team. Even in the advertisement inviting applicants for the top post, It was clearly mentioned that the remuneration is "negotiable and will be commensurate with experience."

Gambhir is a huge name in Indian cricket, having had a stellar international career from 2004-2016 (although he announced retirement in late 2018). While he has no coaching experience, his overall exposure at the international leveland successful mentorship roles for IPL franchises, is expected to help him draw a higher salary than the previous coach, Rahul Dravid (whose yearly remuneration was aroundINR 12 crore -- INR 120 million).

As per reports, BCCI is also set to give Gambhir a freehand in terms of selecting his support staff. The former Indian opener, who was the team's highest run-getter in the final of the2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 ODI World Cup, is expected to take full charge from the Sri Lanka tour, with focus on next year's Champions Trophy and the ongoing WTC cycle.