Reports: Rahul Dravid to not reapply for India head coach role

Rahul Dravid. (Photo Source – Twitter/X)

The Indian men’s cricket team is going towards a significant transition as Rahul Dravid, the current head coach, is reportedly unlikely to reapply for the position. This development comes as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) prepares to invite applications for the crucial role, keeping its options open for both domestic and international candidates.

The BCCI secretary, Jay Shah, recently revealed that the board will soon release an advertisement inviting applications for the role of head coach for the senior men’s team. This decision marks the end of Dravid’s tenure, which was extended for a short period after his initial two-year contract expired following the ODI World Cup 2023.

Dravid’s tenure as the head coach has been marked by several highs and lows, with the team achieving notable successes while also facing challenges. Secretary Jay Shah emphasized that the board cannot predetermine whether the new coach will be Indian or foreign, leaving the decision to the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC).

“We cannot determine whether the new coach will be Indian or foreign. It will be up to the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC),” Shah said as quoted by News18 Cricket.

Also read: BCCI to seek new men’s head coach soon, Rahul Dravid may reapply

Nobody is indispensable: Jay Shah on central contracts

According to a report in The Times of India, Dravid, the legendary batter, is not expected to submit his application for the position he has held since November 2021. Despite the BCCI keeping the door open for his potential return, Dravid seems to be moving on from his role, which is set to end with the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024 in June.

Also read: Navjot Singh Sidhu’s ‘straight’ advice to Rahul Dravid

Talking about the announced central contracts of the senior men’s team, “You can check the constitution. I am just a convener (of the selection meeting). That decision lies with Ajit Agarkar, even when these two players (Ishan and Iyer) did not play domestic (cricket), the decision to drop them (from the central contracts list) was only his. My role is just to implement. And we have got new players (in place), like Sanju (Samson). Nobody is indispensable,” he added.

Shah even opened up about the increasing the pay of cricketers. “We have increased the pay anyway and also incentivized Test cricket. We had increased the pay by 100 percent in 2022,” Shah concluded.