India veteran Rahul Dravid and his coaching staff agreed to a contract extension till the end of the 2024 T20 World Cup. After pondering who should coach the men’s team if BCCI decides against resigning Dravid again, several names popped up, with NCA head VVS Laxman being the front-runner.
However, following intense discussions with all parties involved, the Indian board re-appointed the Dravid-led staff with one agenda – winning next year’s T20 World Cup.
Per the latest reports, the BCCI is not looking at implementing any change before the T20 World Cup scheduled in June in the West Indies and the USA thus far.
While the next ODI World Cup is four years away, the 2025 Champions Trophy in February-March would be the 50-over event the BCCI would set its eyes on after what transpired in the home World Cup final in Ahmedabad.
“Dravid and his support staff have been asked to focus on the T20 World Cup as of now. The priority is to win that tournament in the US and Caribbean. The long-term planning can wait. Things will be taken forward from there. Their services will be on a pro-rata business as of now till modalities are formalised,” a BCCI source told Times of India (TOI).
Following the conclusion of the 2023 World Cup, contracts were expiring for coaching staff of Rahul Dravid (head coach), Paras Mhambrey (bowling coach), Vikram Rathour (batting coach) and T Dilip (fielding coach). The board, said to be keen on appointing a new head coach with the South African tour on the horizon, went back to Dravid till the next major assignment.
“I had mentioned that there is no better person than Rahul Dravid to take over the role of head coach at the time of his appointment, and he has proven himself with his unparalleled commitment to excellence.
“Team India is now a formidable unit across formats, and our top ranking in all three formats directly reflects his vision, guidance, and the roadmap he charted for the team,” BCCI secretary Jay Shah said in a statement.
“Having won 10 consecutive games before the final, our World Cup campaign was nothing short of extraordinary, and the head coach deserves appreciation for setting up the right platform,” Shah added.
Laxman was unsure of the new role
BCCI had kept the National Cricket Academy head VVS Laxman as a backup option for coaching, but he showed reservations about taking up the role when asked to submit the passport details for the South Africa tour.
“Laxman said he needed to spend more time with his family. He was unsure about the relentless travel that comes with the assignment. Besides, he is very committed towards strengthening the NCA and India’s supply line of cricketers,” the BCCI source said.
