Former India captain Sourav Ganguly on Saturday said Gautam Gambhir would be a “good coach” for the national cricket team if he has applied for the job as his “hunger and passion” was evident in the recently-concluded IPL.

“...has he applied? I really don’t know because first he has to apply and then only he will get the job...I think (May) 27th was the last date of application,” Sourav Ganguly said at an event here on Saturday.

“Obviously, BCCI has the right to extend it (the deadline) as well. If he applies and if he wants it, and I say if he applies and if he wants it, he will be a very good candidate,” he said.

The 51-year-old said Gambhir’s winning attitude as IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders’ mentor was there for all to see this year.

“I was with Delhi (Capitals), you can see the hunger, the passion and the want to win and I will be happy if he applies and if the Board decides to give him the job, I think he is a good candidate,” Sourav said.

India’s head coach position will fall vacant since Rahul Dravid has decided to step down at the end of their T20 World Cup campaign.

The former BCCI president said he is in favour of the national team having an Indian coach since there is enough talent in the country.

“I am in favour of an Indian coach because we have enormous talent in our country, enormously high-skilled players who have done wonders for Indian cricket
and very rightfully they should be a part of the system,” Sourav said.

Sourav said India’s chances are “very good” in the T20 World Cup but the team should play with “freedom”. The event, to be jointly hosted by the US and the West Indies, gets underway on Saturday.

“...play without fear and just keep hitting. There is enormous talent, (this is) a team which has (Virat) Kohli, Rohit (Sharma), Surya (Suryakumar Yadav), (Rishabh) Pant, (Shivam) Dube, (Hardik) Pandya, (Ravindra) Jadeja, Axar (Patel), (Jasprit) Bumrah, Sanju (Samson),” he said.

“That’s why I say everyone is capable of winning it for India and the only way they will do it is (if they) just play with freedom.

“Play with that extra batsman and hit from the first ball, hit till you have to defend (and) play like the last ball,” he added.

He backed the pair of Rohit and Kohli to open for India. “It is Virat and Rohit, both should open. Virat has been in tremendous touch in the IPL, he is a great player,” he said.

He said the drop-in pitches brought from Adelaide for the US leg should be “batting-friendly”.