Hardik Pandya
Up until Wednesday, November 29, Team India’s senior national team was operating without a designated coach as Rahul Dravid’s tenure as head coach ended with the conclusion of the Cricket World Cup 2023. Finding the best coaching option has been done in the background, even as VVS Laxman is with India’s troops for the five-match Twenty20 International series against Australia. It has been reported that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) extended Dravid’s contract subsequent to Ashish Nehra being offered the position of T20 coach.
Nehra turned down an offer to take charge of India’s Twenty20 team. Following that, the BCCI approached Dravid and requested that he continue leading the team in all three formats. The former captain of India made the decision to stay longer, as did all of his coaching staff.
Many were impressed by Nehra’s ongoing coaching position with the Gujarat Titans, an Indian Premier League team. The team won the title in his debut season (2022) but lost to the Chennai Super Kings in the championship game in 2023. Currently, though, the former India pacer is not interested in taking on the role of coach for the Indian team.
The board reached out to Dravid last week, offering an open-ended extension. The BCCI made the decision to continue with Dravid primarily to preserve the environment and structure he had established in the team over the previous two years, which could have been upset by the hiring of a new coach.
Since the extension has been approved, Dravid’s first task for his second stint will be to lead the team on a tour of South Africa starting on December 10. The tour will consist of two Test matches, three ODIs, and two T20Is each. The red-ball leg is scheduled to begin on December 26.
Before the ICC T20 World Cup in June in the West Indies and the United States, there will be a five-match Test series against England at home.
Also read: Rahul Dravid will continue to lead India as coach
After an underwhelming ICC T20 World Cup campaign in 2021 that saw India lose in the Super 12 round, Dravid took over for Ravi Shastri. His two-year appointment came to an end with India finishing second in the recently concluded domestic ICC Cricket World Cup.
