After countless reports and speculations, finally, the cat is out of the bag as Gautam Gambhir has been appointed as the next Head Coach of the Indian Cricket Team.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary, Jay Shah, took to his social media account to make the news public. Rahul Dravid's tenure as Head Coach ended with India's T20 World Cup title on June 29. Gambhir's first assignment will be India's white-ball tour to Sri Lanka.

Unlike Dravid, who boasted experience coaching the Indian Under-19 team, Gambhir has not coached any side, rather he has acted as a mentor for Lucknow Super Giants and Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL. Moreover, his first assignment as a mentor for KKR resulted in a title win in IPL 2024. He has been vocal throughout the IPL for keeping the team first over individual milestones and the IPL 2024 championship has played a big role in his appointment. Notably, Gambhir's contract period would last until December 31, 2027.

"It is with immense pleasure that I welcome Mr Gautam Gambhir as the new Head Coach of the Indian Cricket Team. Modern-day cricket has evolved rapidly, and Gautam has witnessed this changing landscape up close. 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," Shah wrote in his post on 'X' (formerly Twitter).

"His clear vision for #TeamIndia, coupled with his vast experience, positions him perfectly to take on this exciting and most sought-after coaching role. The BCCI fully supports him as he embarks on this new journey," he added.

Here's Jay Shah's latest post on 'X':