With no formal coaching experience—Gautam Gambhir has only worked as a mentor with two IPL franchises—and a professional retirement as late as 2019, how did Gambhir become BCCI's choice as India's new head coach? The popular notion is that his role in helping Kolkata Knight Riders win the IPL after a decade-long wait did the trick. The KKR players and the support staff were vocal about Gambhir's role in creating the perfect team environment. True, but that hardly mattered to the BCCI.

Hindustan Times has learnt that Gambhir’s elevation to India’s head coach position had been in the works for months. It wouldn’t have mattered if KKR hadn’t won the IPL title. The head coach interview process was meant to be nothing but a formality. In any case, after BCCI secretary Jay Shah made it clear that India is not keen on having a foreigner as their head of the backroom staff, the interest among big names was anyway low.

Gambhir and WV Raman were the only two candidates to appear for an interview with BCCI's Cricket Advisory Committee. Both of them reportedly impressed the CAC but Gambhir was always miles ahead in the race. What could be the reason behind that?

Here's the backstory of Gautam Gambhir's appointment as India's head coach, replacing Rahul Dravid

In Gambhir, the BCCI saw a man of stature and integrity - qualifications that carried more weight than format-specific expertise. Besides, they weren’t keen to hand over reigns to an overseas professional. With VVS Laxman unwilling to take the plunge, the options were limited.

After Duncan Fletcher's departure about a decade ago, BCCI has maintained its stance of appointing big names as head coaches. Anil Kumble, Ravi Shastri and Rahul Dravid were not only big stars during their playing days but were also well-respected among their peers. Gambhir is likely to add to that list. It was in fact, one of the unwritten criteria when BCCI invited applications for the head coach in May.

Before it was made known to the world, though, the biggest apprehension was around Gambhir’s interpersonal relationship with some of the players he has played with. At 42, Gambhir is India’s youngest-ever head coach and retired only five and a half years back. Gambhir’s testy relationship with Virat Kohli was one prickly point.

It is public knowledge that Rohit Sharma would have liked more of Dravid, if only for another year. But Dravid wanted to move on. With Rohit’s future beyond the 2025 World Test Championship difficult to predict, BCCI wanted to offer Gambhir a longer rope to draw his services to facilitate the transition.

Gambhir's support staff

Just like the head coach, BCCI want his support staff to be Indian. Like all coaches, Gambhir has been given the freedom to appoint the personnel he wants to work with. The names that are currently doing the rounds are of Abhishek Nayar. The former all-rounder has made rapid strides as a coach after working closely with players like Dinesh Karthik and Shreyas Iyer. Nayar was Gambhir's biggest helping hand in KKR last season. He is more or less to find a place in Gambhir's support staff, whether as an assistant coach or a batting coach, remains to be seen.

Former India pacer Zaheer Khan is among the big names being discussed for bowling coach. His broadcasting commitments can become an issue.