As the T20 World Cup 2024 concluded, Rahul Dravid's coaching tenure with the Indian team concluded. After Dravid, the BCCI secretary Jay Shah confirmed the appointment of Gautam Gambhir as the new head coach. Gambhir was picked as the next coach based on his IPL track record where he took Lucknow Super Giants two back-to-back playoff appearances and won the tournament with Kolkata Knight Riders this year.
Though Gambhir was considered the successor to Dravid before the World Cup, the official announcement of the 42-year-old was delayed reportedly due to a salary negotiation. With these speculations, there has been a lot of discussion on Gambhir's salary. Media reports claimed the former Indian opener is set to earn more than his predecessor, Dravid, who had an INR 12 Crore salary .
Alongside this salary, Gambhir will incentivised with multiple benefits when he travels with the team. In 2019, the BCCI revised the daily allowance policy under which the coach will get $250 (nearly Rs 21,000) per day. The daily allowance is alongside the business class travel, accommodation and laundry expenses for which the BCCI pays, as per the news agency IANS.
It is an absolute honour to serve my tricolour, my people, my country: Gambhir
After his appointment, Gautam Gambhir spoke about how this opportunity gave him an incredible opportunity to serve his country. The statement released by the BCCI said, " It is an absolute honour to serve my tricolour, my people, my country. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Rahul Dravid and his team of support staff for their exemplary run with the team. I am honoured and excited to take on the role of Head Coach for Team India."
"I have always taken pride while donning the Indian jersey during my playing days and it is going to be no different when I take up this new role. Cricket has been my passion and I look forward to working closely with the BCCI, Head of Cricket – Mr VVS Laxman, the support staff, and, most importantly, the players, as we work towards achieving success in the upcoming tournaments."