Former India captain and BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has expressed a clear willingness to consider coaching the Indian national team in the future—while firmly shutting down any notion of entering politics. In a candid conversation with PTI in a free-wheeling podcast interview, Ganguly reflected on his journey in cricket and leadership, his current perspective on coaching, and his views on incumbent head coach Gautam Gambhir.
Coaching India? Ganguly says he’s not closed to the idea
Ganguly, who retired from international cricket in 2013, acknowledged that coaching was never his initial focus after his playing career ended. “I never really thought about it because I got into different roles,” he said.
After stepping away from the field, Ganguly took up high-profile administrative roles, most notably serving as BCCI president. “I finished [competitive cricket] in 2013 and then became Board [BCCI] president,” he noted, highlighting his administrative contributions, including significant efforts to grow women’s cricket in India.
With the Indian coaching setup always a topic of intrigue, Ganguly hinted that he could be open to returning in a different capacity. “We’ll see what the future holds. I’m just 50 [53], so let’s see what happens. I’m open to it. We’ll see where it goes,” he said.
Politics? “I am not interested,” says Ganguly
Asked whether he might consider a political career—especially with West Bengal assembly elections on the horizon—Ganguly was unequivocal. “I am not interested,” he said with a smile. When pressed further, even hypothetically being offered the Chief Minister’s post didn’t change his stance: “I am not interested,” he repeated.
High praise for Gautam Gambhir’s coaching journey
Ganguly also weighed in on Gautam Gambhir’s performance as India’s current head coach. Despite a slow start, he said Gambhir had shown promise after guiding the team to a Champions Trophy victory.
“Gautam [Gambhir] is doing a good job. He started off a little slow, losing to Australia and New Zealand, but he picked up with the Champions Trophy. This is going to be a big series [vs England],” Ganguly said.
While Ganguly admitted he hasn’t worked with Gambhir in a coaching capacity, he admired his straightforward style and passion. “I haven’t seen him from very close in this role, but I know he is very passionate. I haven’t observed his strategies closely because I haven’t worked with him as a coach.”
He continued, “He’s very straightforward, he sees things clearly, and he’s very open about what he feels, about the team, players, people, everything. From the outside, you can tell he’s a very transparent person – what you see is what you get.”
Recalling their playing days together, Ganguly added, “I’ve played with him. He was a great guy with a lot of respect for me and the senior players. Even now, I can see he is extremely passionate about his job.”
Ganguly concluded with a note of encouragement: “I wish him all the best. He’s just a year into the job, and this will be an important [England] tour. He struggled a bit in Australia, but just like everyone else, he’ll learn, he’ll grow, and he’ll become better.”
