The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) often considers the long-term goals of the Indian cricket team while appointing a head coach. If you see in the past, the likes of Lalchand Rajput, Gary Kirsten and Duncan Fletcher played a paramount role in helping India win the ICC titles. India won the T20 World Cup 2007 under Lalchand Raj’s tutelage whereas the Men in Blue won the ODI World Cup 2011 under Gary Kirsten’s guidance.
The last time India won the ICC trophy was back in 2013 under the head coach Duncan Fletcher. Since then, there were changes with respect to coaching staff. Anil Kumble and Ravi Shastri served as the coaches but failed to put an end to India’s ICC title drought. When Rahul Dravid was appointed as the coach, expectations were quite high. Under Dravid’s tutelage, India’s best performances were finishing the runners-up of ICC World Test Championship and ICC ODI World Cup 2023.
Rahul Dravid can still re-apply for the head coach role
Despite India losing the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 final, the BCCI didn’t plan on sacking Rahul Dravid and the latter also extended his contract. His coaching tenure comes to a close in June after the end of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, slated to be held in the USA and the West Indies (June 1 to 29). It remains to be seen whether or not Dravid will continue as head coach but was told that he can still re-apply for the head coach role.
BCCI secretary Jay Shah, during a recent interaction in Mumbai on Thursday stated that the board is planning to appoint a new coach in the near future. He further added that coach’s contract will be of three years. “Rahul Dravid’s tenure is till the World Cup, we will be inviting applications soon for the post of head coach and if Dravid wants to re-apply, he can do it. We have decided the criteria. Thereafter we will invite applications for support staff in consultation with the Cricket Advisory Committee. The coach’s tenure will be of three years,” Shah added.