Gautam Gambhir was named the team’s new head coach following India’s successful T20 World Cup 2024 campaign led by head coach Rahul Dravid. The announcement provoked conversations about possible contenders for the position; among the names that surfaced in conjecture was former bowler Ashish Nehra. Nehra, though, decided against entering the race and has now spoken out about it.
A new head coach was appointed following Dravid’s contract expiration in June 2024. The Indian candidate was preferred by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), despite rumours of some well-known foreign names being in the running.
After a great spell as a mentor with the Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2024 Indian Premier League, Gambhir became the clear favourite and subsequently won the job.
Nehra made the decision not to apply for the position, even though many fans and experts thought she would be a good fit. The 45-year-old former cricket player disclosed his decision’s personal motivations.
“I never gave it much thought. My kids are still quite young. Gautam Gambhir is a parent of small children too, yet opinions vary. I’m content where I am because of this. Nehra stated, “I’m not in the mood to travel for nine months,” in a Sports Tak interview.
GT was led by Ashish Nehra to their first IPL championship in 2022.
Nehra’s choice serves as a reminder of the personal costs associated with high-profile coaching positions, particularly on an international scale. In the Indian Premier League, Nehra has already made a name for himself as a successful coach (IPL). He has been the Gujarat Titans’ head coach for the last three seasons, and in 2022 he became the first Indian head coach to win the IPL title with his team.
He led the squad to the championship game the next season, just missing a back-to-back triumph. However, according to recent speculations, Nehra and GT’s Director of Cricket, Vikram Solanki, may say goodbye to the team.
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Before the 2024 Indian Premier League, Hardik Pandya was traded to the Mumbai Indians, shocking a lot of fans and pundits alike. The GT succeeded in appointing Shubman Gill as captain, but they were unable to go past the group stages in 2024.