Virender Sehwag on What's Stopping Him from Becoming India Head Coach: Says Gautam Gambhir's Role 'Not Challenging Enough'

Virender Sehwag, the former aggressive India opener, has expressed his interest in coaching an IPL team but has ruled out the possibility of coaching the Indian men's cricket team. Sehwag, who retired from all forms of cricket in 2015, had a brief stint as the mentor of Punjab Kings (formerly Kings XI Punjab) until 2018 before parting ways with the franchise. Despite not securing an IPL coaching role since then, Sehwag remains open to the idea, especially with rumors circulating that his former India teammates – Yuvraj Singh and Rahul Dravid – could be returning to coaching roles with Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals respectively for IPL 2025. Sehwag is keeping his options open and is not ruling out the opportunity to coach one of the 10 IPL franchises in the future.

Sehwag's inclination stems of the nature of the job. The IPL takes place for two months a year, which will allow him plenty of time to manage a work-life balance. The same, however, is not applicable with the Indian cricket team as the Men in Blue are on the road for most part of the year. This is the very reason why two former India coaches Ravi Shastri and Rahul Dravid stepped down from the post in 2021 and 2024 respectively and decided not to renew their contracts. Sehwag feels if he becomes Team India's head coach, there is no way he will be able to cope with its requirements, especially given the amount of travelling that is involved.

"Not for the Indian cricket team, but if the IPL presents me with a coaching opportunity, I can surely have a look at it. If I become India head coach, then it’ll have to return to the same routine which I underwent for 15 years. Playing for the Indian team requires you to stay on the road 8-9 months a year. My kids are 14 and 16 and they need me. Both play cricket for Delhi. One is an opening batter and the other an off-spinner. I need to help them with cricket and spent time. If I become the India head coach, staying away from them would be my biggest challenge. I will not be able to give time to my children. But yes, if there is a coach or a mentor role available in the IPL, I can take it up," Sehwag said in an interview with Amar Ujala.

Sehwag expressing his desire to take up coaching comes a couple of months after his former Delhi and India opening partner Gautam Gambhir was appointed as the head coach of Team India. Gambhir's stint with the Men in Blue began on a bitter-sweet note as India blanked Sri Lanka 3-0 in T20Is but lost the ODIs 0-2. Having said that, Gambhir has a long road stern challenges ahead as India have a Champions Trophy, a World Test Championship and a T20 World Cup at home to win, along with the high-profile five-Test series in Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Gambhir's existing contract runs up till the end of the 2027 World Cup which makes it a three-year term during which Gambhir's India will be put to test. However, Sehwag reckons Gambhir's role will not be as challenging due to the presence of established players, proven match-winners and a more than able coaching staff featuring Morne Morkel and Abhishek Nayar.

"I don't think it's a challenging role because there are other professionals too. The team recently won the T20 World Cup; players know their roles. With Gambhir coming in, players will have clarity. So this will be an added advantage. The challenges will be less for Gambhir and more for players since now they would feel that after the T20 World Cup, we have to win the Champions Trophy, or the WTC final or the World Cup. But of course, Gambhir is around to help them all," pointed out Sehwag.