In a move signaling continuity, the BCCI has offered Rahul Dravid an extension to continue as India’s head coach. It is learned that Dravid was approached by the BCCI last week, with the tenure of the extension remaining open-ended. However, what still doesn’t remain confirmed is whether Dravid has accepted the offer. One crucial reason the BCCI was keen on sticking with Dravid was that it would ensure continuity to the structure he had put in place in the past two years which might have otherwise got disrupted had a new head coach been appointed.
If Dravid does go ahead with the offer, his first assignment in his second stint will be India’s tour of South Africa, which starts with the white-ball leg from December 10. Then there is the five-match Test series against England at home, before the T20 World Cup in June.
Dravid had replaced Ravi Shastri after the T20 World Cup in 2021, getting appointed for a two-year term which ended with the ODI World Cup recently, where India finished as runners-up. It is expected that he will retain the same set of assistant coaches he had joined hands with in 2021: Vikram Rathour (batting coach), Paras Mhambrey (bowling coach), and T Dilip (fielding coach). Speaking after the World Cup final defeat, Dravid had said he was proud that India were ranked No. 1 across the three formats in the ICC rankings, although the absence of a global trophy was a “disappointment”. Dravid said he had not thought about continuing in the job, having been consumed in preparing for the World Cup.