The just-retired Gautam Gambhir on Sunday, 9 December, categorically rejected rumours around him joining politics but the former India opener indicated he was open to coaching at the big stage.
The 37-year-old World Cup winner walked into the sunset by scoring a memorable hundred in his farewell Ranji Trophy match against Andhra at the Feroz Shah Kotla.
"Not at all," Gambhir said when asked if he was contesting in the next General elections.
"There are rumours which I have heard as well, probably the reason is maybe I take up social issues as well... For me Twitter was always a platform which is very, very important and where I take up social issues,” he said.
‘It’s My Right to Take up Social Issues’
"I am not that kind of a character where I am going to start joking on a platform like Twitter as well. For me, being a citizen of this country, it is my right to take up social issues and that probably is the reason why people thing I am going to join politics but there is nothing of that sort," Gambhir added.
Gambhir last played for the country in 2016 against England in Rajkot.
“As I just mentioned, I haven’t even thought about it (politics) and it is a completely different field. (For) 25 years I have not done anything else, so let’s see what I am going to do,” he said.
Gambhir scored 4154 runs in Test cricket from 58 matches, 5238 runs in ODIs and 932 in T20s.
He was also asked if he is keen on taking up coaching assignments in competitive cricket. Gambhir has replied to coaching assignments in affirmative.
"One thing which excites me is action and I am sure action is not about sitting in those AC rooms doing commentary and stuff. I don't know if I am going to be as good a coach as I have been a player," Gambhir said.
“Will Think About Coaching”
"I will have to evaluate whether I can be successful as a coach. Let's see, if that comes around and if I feel that I have the energy, passion and if I have the commitment to do it, I will think about it," he added.
He responded in the negative when asked if he will enter cricket administration at some point.
“I am too straightforward a person to be in administration, I don’t think people will accept me anywhere,” said Gambhir, who has distributed all his bats to his team-mates, leaving his “kit bag empty”.
Gambhir said he is willing to help young players in Delhi cricket.
"I am still a government nominee, hopefully I can now try and contribute more now (since he is no longer a player). There won't be any conflict of interest involved, which is very important and there won't be any criticism as well because when I took this up there were a lot of criticism,” Gambhir said.
"The boys need a lot of good things in DDCA (Delhi District and Cricket Association) and hopefully I am able to put that word across the executive committee and get those things done from cricket point of view. Apart from that, my job is to get the best out of the boys," he added.
(Published in arrangment with PTI)
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