In a recent development, Rahul Dravid’s future as India’s head coach has become uncertain as his tenure is set to end after the T20 World Cup this year. BCCI secretary Jay Shah announced that Dravid will have to reapply for the position and go through the selection process if he wishes to continue. This decision marks a departure from the automatic extension granted to Dravid after the ODI World Cup last year.
The BCCI is seeking a long-term coach for a three-year term, and Shah emphasized that there is no precedent for having different coaches for different formats in Indian cricket. The Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), comprising Jatin Paranjape, Ashok Malhotra, and Sulakshana Naik, will ultimately make the decision on this matter.
Interestingly, Shah did not rule out the possibility of a foreign coach, stating that he would not interfere if the CAC recommended one. This opens the door for a potential return of a foreign coach to Indian cricket, the last being Duncan Fletcher a decade ago.
Prior to Dravid’s appointment, India had relied on former Indian cricketers as head coaches, including Anil Kumble, Ravi Shastri, and now Dravid himself. However, with the BCCI’s focus on securing a long-term coach, it remains to be seen whether Dravid will reapply for the role or if a new era of Indian cricket will begin under a different leader.
It’s worth noting that the BCCI is also expected to fill the vacant post of one national selector soon, as per Shah’s statement. While Shah remained non-committal on his potential candidacy for the position of International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman, he expressed contentment with his current role at the BCCI.
