Coaching India would be an honour, but I have no ambition: Ashish Nehra

Former India pacer Ashish Nehra has no plans to become India's head coach, but admitted he would consider the opportunity an honour if it comes his way.Ashish Nehra gives an honest take on India coaching ambition: It would be an honour (PTI Photo)Ashish Nehra has no ambition of becoming India's head coach, but the former India pacer admitted he would consider the role a "great honour and privilege" if the opportunity ever came his way.Nehra, currently the head coach of Gujarat Titans, was asked about his coaching ambitions while speaking at the Cricket Association of Bengal's annual awards ceremony in Kolkata on Monday.The 46-year-old made it clear that he does not plan his career around future roles and is happy with his current position at GT."First thing first, I will not use the word ambition. I never plan. Yes, it will be a great honour and a privilege, but I never plan things like that. We'll see in the future. No, no ambition. I'm very happy where I am," Nehra said. Nehra has already established himself as one of the successful coaches in the IPL. He guided Gujarat Titans to the title in their debut season in 2022 and took them to another final a year later.However, Nehra has consistently played down the idea of individual credit in a team sport. He said the success of GT should not be attributed to him or any individual player. "When it comes to GT, lots of people say like you have done well in coaching. It's not me; it's about the team. Yes, when your captain, when your coach is always associated, that's the way it goes, especially in India, but I'm dead against it."When it comes to team sport, it should not be like Shubman Gill won, or Nehra won, but it should be GT won."Nehra also joked about the amount of travel involved with the India job, saying he would first need to consult his wife if he were offered the position."If I get an offer, I will check with my wife first because it is eight to nine months of travel," he said.The former left-arm pacer also looked back at India's defeat to Australia in the 2003 ODI World Cup final, which was played at the Wanderers in Johannesburg. Nehra was part of India's campaign but said he has no regrets about the loss."Not really. What's gone is gone. It's always a good learning. It was not the only final I played, and we lost. I played some other finals also, and we lost. Every time you don't win, yes, as a player, you are always gutted when you look back, but it's not only me."There are so many players, I am sure, in international cricket, who have lost more finals than the final we were discussing."Nehra also drew a parallel with India's loss to Australia in the 2023 ODI World Cup final in Ahmedabad. Australia won that match by six wickets after India were bowled out for 240."The whole tournament, we were playing well, in the 2023 50-over World Cup in India, our team was no different, and exactly the final we lost in Ahmedabad."In fact, we were more dominating than we were in 2003, but that's part and parcel of the game. I never look back, and I'm not somebody who regrets too much. I always look forward."- EndsPublished By: Saurabh KumarPublished On: Sep 7, 2026 22:18 IST