Gautam Gambhir could continue as India head coach till 2028 LA Olympics if BCCI offers extension: Report

Gautam Gambhir is open to continuing as India's head coach beyond his current contract.

Gautam Gambhir’s contract as Team India head coach runs up to the 2027 World Cup, but there is a possibility that the former opener could extend his duties beyond the ICC showdown in South Africa. Gambhir currently has two priorities – winning the ongoing T20 World Cup and the much-talked-about ODI World Cup next year – and his future could well hinge on the outcomes of these two tournaments.

However, in a very interesting report presented by Dainik Jagran, Gambhir could stretch beyond South Africa. If the BCCI continues to have faith in him, the ball would be in Gambhir’s court to make the decision. It has been learnt that the possibility of Gambhir carrying on till the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics cannot be ruled out. Cricket will be returning to the Olympic Games after a 128-year absence, and with the Indian contingent running low on medals, a gold medal, which is fully achievable, would bring India immense pride.

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India has won a total of 10 gold medals at the Olympics, out of which eight were clinched by the men’s hockey team. In the individual competition, former shooter Abhinav Bindra and javelin powerhouse Neeraj Chopra are the only two to create history. Bindra brought home India’s first individual gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, while Chopra’s achievement was equally groundbreaking as it was India’s first-ever top-podium finish in track and field.

Despite several silver and bronze medals, India has been scarce on gold, and cricket’s emphatic return in the T20I format could pave the way for India’s first Olympic gold medal in seven years. India’s current T20I team is arguably the best, most destructive unit in the world, and given its bench strength, it could only get stronger by the time the 2028 Games come along. It is every coach’s dream to lead their team to the top, and for Gambhir, a two-time World Cup winner, guiding India to Olympic gold could be the ultimate high.

Everything depends on whether BCCI is willing to offer Gambhir an extension

All of it, however, depends on the BCCI. Despite all that Gambhir has achieved for India – winning the Champions Trophy and the Asia Cup – the team’s dramatic fall in Test cricket cannot be ignored. Under Gambhir, India have become a shadow of the force they once were in the red-ball format, having suffered two home whitewashes and slipped down in the World Test Championship cycle. For Indian cricket, 2026 is a year when Test cricket takes a backseat, with only five lined up – one against Afghanistan, two in Sri Lanka and another two in New Zealand. However, the grind will return in 2027 with the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at home in January.

After India’s 0-2 sweep against South Africa in November, Gambhir clearly stated that it is up to the BCCI to decide whether he is the right man for the job. Then again, what other options are available? VVS Laxman has clearly said no, and the BCCI is reluctant to turn to foreign coaches. Until a strong candidate with a pure coaching pedigree emerges. Gambhir’s role could well extend until the 2028 Olympics.

• Gautam Gambhir
• Olympics
• Indian Cricket Team