Courtesy: Google/BCCI
Anil Kumble, the former Indian captain and head coach, has categorically stated that the current head coach Gautam Gambhir must take “tough calls” of transitioning from senior to younger players ahead of the ICC ODI World Cup 2027, which will happen in two years’ time in South Africa. During an exclusive chat, the 54-year-old pointed out that aforementioned decisions must be taken irrespective of the results for the Indian cricket team in the ongoing Champions Trophy.
Notably, the comment from Anil Kumble came in the build-up to India’s Group A clash in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 against Bangladesh, which was played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai yesterday. During a relatively one-sided contest, the Indian cricket team managed to chase down a 229-run target with six wickets in hand and 21 balls to spare in a tricky situation, to make it to second place in the Group A standings behind New Zealand on NRR.
Need to start looking ahead in white-ball cricket, especially at the 2027 World Cup: Anil Kumble
While speaking on the Matchday show on ESPNcricinfo, Anil Kumble alluded to the importance of Gautam Gambhir’s role as the head coach over the next couple of years, which could lead him to be a part of the ODI World Cup 2027. He was quoted as saying, “You could say this (Champions Trophy) is a very important tournament for a coach who has to make those tough calls in terms of transitioning from the legacy players to the others. But that's the job of the coach, to make those hard decisions.”
Following that, Kumble spoke about how the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025 could decide the fate of the senior players, regardless of whether the Indian cricket team ends up winning the whole thing or else. He remarked, “This tournament could determine where those seniors would go, and where India would look at making those changes. Win or lose, you need these tough calls to be made at the earliest. You need to start looking ahead in white-ball cricket, especially at the 2027 World Cup.”
Some of the senior players in the Indian ODI setup currently include the captain Rohit Sharma, former captain Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, and Mohammed Shami in particular.
