Rahul Dravid rejects BCCI’s invitation to become head coach of the Indian cricket team. He told to the BCCI that he is interested in focusing on junior cricket.
Rahul Dravid coached the senior Indian team when the second line team toured Sri Lanka for three ODIs and three T20Is. India won the ODI series though lost the T20I series.
Dravid, who is also the president of the National Cricket Academy (NCA), has told the board that he wants to stay in Bangalore. Dravid is hailed not only in India but also outside India for grooming young cricketers.
The BCCI is looking for a new coach as Ravi Shastri will step down as the team’s head coach after the T20 World Cup later this month. As per the new criteria, someone is ineligible to coach the Indian team once he touches 60.
Shastri will be completing his 60s in May next year and that is why BCCI is not considering his name. It is reported that Shastri has the backing of Indian captain Virat Kohli who will be also stepping down as Indian team T20I captain after the world cup.
Many names, including former Indian players, are being considered for the post of coach of the Indian team. The names of former Indian coach and legendary Indian bowler Anil Kumble and former Indian cricketer VVS Laxman were the most talked about.
But now there are indications that one of the foreign coaches will reach the position of head coach.
Among them are Mahela Jayawardene, the former Sri Lankan cricketer, and Mumbai Indians coach, and Tom Moody, former Australian all-rounder and Sunrisers Hyderabad’s cricket director in the IPL.
It is reported that Jayawardene wants to coach the Sri Lankan team along with India and Mumbai. He had made it clear that he would not take over as India’s coach.
Although Moody has applied to coach India last time, his name was not been considered by the BCCI for the last three rounds. It remains to be seen whether the board will consider him this time.
Meanwhile, India’s head coach Ravi Shastri will be stepping down, while bowling coach Bharat Arun, fielding coach R Sridhar and batting coach Vikram Rathore will be stepping down. There are indications that former Indian fast bowler Paras Mambre may be appointed as the bowling coach.
Tom Moody behind Lance Klausner; In the field for the coaching position of the Indian team. Lance Klausner has openly stated that he wants to be the coach of the Indian cricket team.
Earlier, there were indications that the BCCI was planning to replace Ravi Shastri, who is stepping down as India’s head coach after the T20 World Cup, with Anil Kumble. But the BCCI has now extended an invitation to Dravid to become the coach. The board is likely to appoint Kumble himself if Dravid rejects it.
Kumble stepped down as India’s coach in 2017 following a disagreement with captain Virat Kohli. Although Kumble has coached India for a very short time, Kumble has a very good record. In 2017, the Indian team reached the Champions Trophy final under him. Despite reaching the final, India lost to Pakistan and could not win the title. Under Kumble, the Indian team also won the Test series against the West Indies, New Zealand, Bangladesh, and Australia.