Rahul Dravid to be Team India's head coach, claims report
Former Indian captain and legend Rahul Dravid is set to be appointed as the head coach, replacing Ravi Shastri, whose tenure ends post the ICC T20 World Cup next month. Dravid, who has been in charge of the India A and U-19 set-up for the past six years, is currently heading the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. Here are further details.
Dravid has agreed to be India's coach till 2023 WC
According to a report in PTI, a BCCI official confirmed the developments. The official told the agency on conditions of anonymity that Dravid has agreed to become Team India's coach till the 2023 World Cup. The official added that Dravid was reluctant at first but BCCI president Sourav Ganguly and secretary Jay Shah were able to convince him.
Dravid had coached India during the white-ball tour of Lanka
Dravid had coached Team India during its white-ball tour of Sri Lanka in July. India's senior players were in England and this allowed Dravid to coach the white-ball specialists during the Lankan tour. Notably, the team had consisted of several India A players, who were accustomed to Dravid's methods. Earlier, Dravid had traveled with Team India as a batting consultant to England in 2014.
BCCI to give an advertisement for the coach's position
The report adds that the BCCI will nonetheless give an advertisement for the position of head coach to ensure that a due process is followed. "We will be bringing out the advertisements for the head coach very soon. I think we have been able to convince Rahul that he should now move forward to work actively with the Indian national team," an official said.
Jayawardene and Ponting were also considered by the BCCI
According to a report in Hindustan Times, the BCCI had continued to seek other options. The two overseas coaches on the radar were Mahela Jayawardene and Ricky Ponting. Both coaches recently enjoyed their two-month IPL stints. The BCCI finally turned to Dravid again and now it appears that he has agreed to come on board.
A look at Dravid's unique numbers in international cricket
In a career spanning nearly 16 years, Dravid amassed 13,288 Test runs, fourth highest after Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, and third-placed Jacques Kallis. The right-handed batsman also scored 10,889 runs in ODI cricket, giving India some breathtaking memories. The former skipper played as many as 94 consecutive Tests since his debut in 1996. He impressed with 7,690 Test runs away from home.
Shastri to leave assignment as India's coach
Shastri's contract is set to expire following the T20 World Cup in UAE and Oman. Bowling coach Bharat Arun and fielding coach R Sridhar are also set to exit. Reports had claimed that Shastri informed some board members that he will be parting ways.
Shastri was made head coach in 2017
Shastri was Team India director from 2014 to 2016 after which Anil Kumble was appointed head coach for a year. Post his departure, Shastri was made the coach after the ICC Champions Trophy finale. Under his tenure, India achieved plenty of success and went on to win crucial assignments. Shastri formed a team blended with resilience and character as India's bench strength improved.
India achieved a lot of success under Shastri
Team India improved drastically, sealing two crucial away series wins in Australia (Test cricket). They also enjoyed success in West Indies and Sri Lanka. The white-ball series win in South Africa was another feather in the cap. Recently, India had a 2-1 lead versus England before the final Test was called off. At home, India dominated against Australia, England, South Africa, and West Indies.
Dravid has a crucial task ahead of him
Shastri will hope to see India win the T20 World Cup after having not fared well in ICC tournaments. For Dravid, the task will be crucial in terms of ICC events. He will be keen to stamp his authority in the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia, the 2023 ODI World Cup at home, and the 2023 World Test Championship final.
