Definitely not politics, but keen to coach team India: Sourav Ganguly

Former Indian cricketer Sourav Ganguly has clarified that he does not intend to enter politics but expressed his interest in coaching the Indian cricket team. The former India captain served as the Team Director of Delhi Capitals (DC) from 2018 to 2019 and again from 2022 to 2024.

Ganguly stated that he retired from cricket in 2013 and later took on the role of BCCI President with a focus on promoting women’s cricket. He admitted that we have to see what happens regarding the possibility of taking up coaching responsibilities in the future.

“I never really thought about it because I got into different roles. I finished [competitive cricket] in 2013 and then became Board [BCCI] president. 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,” said Ganguly.

Ganguly reiterated that he has no plans to enter politics and stated that he would not be interested even if offered the position of a state Chief Minister. The Indian legend also praised Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir and noted that he has grown significantly in his role since India’s Champions Trophy triumph in Dubai in 2025.

“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.

Gambhir is very passionate and learning: Ganguly

Ganguly lauded Gambhir for his passion and his straightforward approach to expressing opinions. He pointed out that Gambhir is very open with the players and others around him and emphasized that he brings transparency to the role.

“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’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,” Ganguly added.

The 52-year-old mentioned that Gambhir respects everyone and expressed confidence that he will continue to learn and grow in his coaching role.

“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. 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,” Ganguly concluded.