MUMBAI:
The Board for Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to look for a new head coach for the Indian men’s team as Rahul Dravid’s helm comes to an end with the completion of the upcoming T20 World Cup. Dravid, who’s 2-year tenure was supposed to come to an end after the ODI World Cup in November 2023, agreed to an extension until next month’s T20 World Cup as the BCCI had failed to finalise his replacement in time.
However, the cricket board will not repeat that mistake this time around as the BCCI announced on Thursday that it will invite applications for the post before the team leaves for the T20 World Cup. During an interaction with the press at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai, Secretary Jay Shah said: “We will call for applications in the next few days. Rahul Dravid’s tenure is coming to an end in June. If he wants to re-apply, he can.”
Shah confirmed that the board is looking for a long-term appointee, stating that the new coach will be at the helm until at least the 2027 ODI World Cup and that the board will not split coaching roles across different formats. “We are looking for a long-term coach for three years. There is no precedent of different coaches for different formats in Indian cricket. Besides, we have a number of all-format players. Ultimately, it will be the Cricket Advisory Committee’s (CAC) call. I have to implement what they decide,” Shah told reporters.
Shah also mentioned that the backroom staff, such as fielding coach, batting coach, bowling coach etc, will be appointed in consultation with the new head coach.
The board will also pick a new national selector, for which the BCCI had already advertised in January. The new appointee is expected to be from the north zone and will replace Salil Ankola, who is the second member of the selection committee from the west zone. “A few interviews for the selector’s post have already happened. The CAC will meet in a week’s time to finalise the name, and we will announce it soon,” said Shah.
Potential new coach
According to multiple reports, Dravid is unlikely to put his hat in the ring for the post of Indian men’s team head coach, regardless of how well the Men in Blue perform in next month’s flagship tournament, which will be held in the United States of America and West Indies.
While a foreign coach is not being ruled out, the next coach could be one of the following former Indian cricketers: Ashish Nehra, Sanjay Bangar, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, and VVS Laxman.
