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India have appointed former opening batter Gautam Gambhir as their new head coach

Gautam Gambhir has been appointed as the new head coach of the Indian cricket team, succeeding his former teammate Rahul Dravid, who stepped down after his contract expired following India's triumphant T20 World Cup campaign.

The 42-year-old Gambhir recently led Kolkata Knight Riders to an Indian Premier League title in May, adding to his impressive resume.

"India is my identity and serving my country has been the greatest privilege of my life. I’m honored to be back, albeit wearing a different hat," Gambhir expressed on X. "But my goal is the same as it has always been, to make every Indian proud."

Gambhir, who debuted for India in 2003, amassed over 10,000 runs across all formats before retiring in 2016. Post-retirement, he ventured into commentary and politics before transitioning to a coaching role with Kolkata Knight Riders.

"Having endured the grind and excelled in various roles throughout his career, I am confident that Gautam is the ideal person to steer Indian cricket forward," said BCCI secretary Jay Shah. "His clear vision for Team India, coupled with his vast experience, positions him perfectly to take on this exciting and most sought-after coaching role."

Gambhir's first assignment as head coach will be a white-ball tour of Sri Lanka later this month.

India recently ended their 13-year wait for a world title by defeating South Africa in the T20 World Cup final in June.

Wednesday's series opener against West Indies will be Ben Stokes' 25th Test as England captain