Appearing for the first round of interviews for the role of Team India’s head coach, former cricketer Gautam Gambhir was asked some tough questions. The Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) was fully prepared to grill Gambhir and former Indian women’s team coach WV Raman as they presented their views on the role that Rahul Dravid will be leaving in a couple of weeks. While Gambhir appeared for the interview virtually, Raman was said to be physically present.

The CAC, appointed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for the job, put three important questions, as per RevSportz, in front of both Gambhir and Raman. They were:

1. What are your ideas regarding the coaching staff of the team?

2. With a few aging players in both the batting and bowling departments, how will you handle the transition phase?

3. What are your views on split captaincy, fitness parameters concerning workload management, and addressing the team’s failure to win ICC trophies?

Gambhir’s name has been linked to the job even before he submitted the application. It was his skills leading the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 that made him the ‘ideal candidate’ to fill Dravid’s shoes.

In fact, recently, WV Raman had also wished Gambhir well for the role, saying he wishes the 2011 World Cup winner well if he takes up the job.

“I’ve always rated Gautam Gambhir as one of the best captains in the IPL. He’s always been intense and tactically sound. His success comes purely from his own efforts. He is committed to cricket and does not try to conform to others’ expectations. If he takes up the India role, I wish him all the very best,” Raman had told the portal.

Gambhir has also put across his demands to the CAC, with the biggest arguably being two separate teams for white-ball and red-ball cricket.

The BCCI isn’t expected to name the new head coach until the final stages of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024.