India will name their new coach after the World Cup-winning team makes its triumphant return from the Caribbean — but it is unclear when that will be because of a hurricane.
The frontrunner appears to be Gautam Gambhir, 42, a former batsman who scored over 10,000 international runs across three formats. He most recently coached Kolkata Knight Riders to the Indian Premier League crown.
Indian media reported on Monday that the other man in the running to replace Rahul Dravid is W.V. Raman, 59, also an ex-Indian cricketer and former coach of the national women’s team.
Jay Shah, secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), said the two candidates had been “interviewed and shortlisted” by the board’s Cricket Advisory Committee, according to the Press Trust of India news agency.
“After reaching Mumbai, whatever they have decided, we will go by that,” Shah said.
Shah spoke in Barbados, where he told Indian reporters the team were stranded because flights were delayed by Hurricane Beryl. “Like you we are also stuck,” he told reporters.
Former batsman V.V.S. Laxman will coach the team for their tour of Zimbabwe for five T20 internationals from July 6-14, Shah said.
The new coach will take over for India’s tour of Sri Lanka, made up of three T20s and three ODIs, which begins on July 27.
India won a thrilling final by seven runs against South Africa in Barbados on Saturday to clinch their first global tournament since the 2013 Champions Trophy.
The T20 triumph ended more than a decade of heartache after India’s previous World Cup win came in the 50-over version in 2011.
The T20 World Cup final was the final match in charge for former skipper Dravid, 51, who was bounced in the air by the team during the celebrations.
Dream come true for a billion: Rohit
Meanwhile, World Cup-winning skipper Rohit Sharma said his team’s victory was a “dream come true” for India, as he awaited his return home to a hero’s welcome.
“The team and I are very proud to be able to bring the cup home and are truly touched by how much happiness it has brought everyone back home,” Rohit said in a post on social media on Monday.
He also posted a picture of himself lying flat on his back with his eyes closed, wearing his blue team kit.
“This picture epitomises how I’m feeling right now,” he said. “Right now I’m basking in a dream come true for a billion of us.”
Jay Shah announced around 25 people in the team, coaching and support staff would share nearly $15 million in prize money, a reward for their “talent, determination, and sportsmanship”.
The bonus is in addition to a record prize pool of $11.25m for the tournament, of which India will receive $2.45m.
The cricket-obsessed country erupted in midnight celebrations as India won, with fans in blue India shirts taking to the streets across cities, including the capital New Delhi.