New coach for India Cricket Team post WC? Rahul Dravid unlikely to continue

Irrespective of whether India win the World Cup 2023 or not, head coach Rahul Dravid may take a step back. He is unlikely to renew his contract post the mega event. As per close sources, Dravid is unsettled by a lot of travelling with the India Cricket Team and a lack of time with his family. It was a contentious issue that BCCI secretary Jay Shah and then President Sourav Ganguly talked him out of when he took charge from Ravi Shastri in 2021.

“It has been a rocky journey for him. Rahul likes a settled life and that is why he did not want to take up the job initially. He has had to manage his family as well as travel with the team on back-to-back long tours. He will take a call on his future even if India win the World Cup,” a BCCI source told InsideSport.

Also Read: World Cup squad submission deadline Sep 5, KL Rahul to get keeping role

However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) denies it. An official said that the BCCI will hold talks with Rahul Dravid before or after World Cup on his renewal. But for now, the focus is on winning the World Cup 2023.

“There have been no discussions with Rahul on extension or renewal. We are all focused on World Cup at the moment. But yes, we will have a discussion with Rahul before the WC and prepare a contingency around it. So far, we have received no indication that he doesn’t want to continue,” a senior BCCI official told InsideSport.

Since taking over from Ravi Shastri post-T20 WC 2021 exit, Rahul Dravid has had a mixed record. While under him, India has asserted dominance at home, losing just one series to Australia. However, India have lost to South Africa in both the Test and ODI series away, to Bangladesh in the ODI series away as well as Asia Cup, T20 World Cup and WTC Final.

With India eying a Test reboot with a transition of senior players, BCCI may very well look for fresh ideas and perhaps abroad. There have been rumours that Andy Flower is one that India are looking at. But at this stage, BCCI has neither contacted the former Lucknow Super Giants coach nor has held any talks with anyone else.

If Rahul Dravid and BCCI part ways, VVS Laxman can be a good option. He has been the director of the National Cricket Academy and has already been earmarked as a successor. But for now, again, there have been no discussions on a permanent coaching role. Laxman has coached while Dravid has been on breaks.

Rahul Dravid coaching record: How have India fared under The Wall?

Opponent	Venue	Format	Result	Captain
New Zealand	Home	Test	1-0 Win	Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane
New Zealand	Home	T20I	3-0 Win	Rohit Sharma
South Africa	Away	Test	2-1 Loss	Virat Kohli, KL Rahul
South Africa	Away	ODI	3-0 Loss	KL Rahul
West Indies	Home	T20I	3-0 Win	Rohit Sharma
West Indies	Home	ODI	3-0 Win	Rohit Sharma
Sri Lanka	Home	Test	2-0 win	Rohit Sharma
Sri Lanka	Home	T20I	3-0 win	Rohit Sharma
South Africa	Home	T20I	2-2 Draw	Rishabh Pant
England	Away	One-off test	1-0 Loss	Jasprit Bumrah
England	Away	T20I	2-1 win	Rohit Sharma
England	Away	ODI	2-1 win	Rohit Sharma
West Indies	Away	T20I	4-1 win	Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya
Asia Cup 2022	UAE	T20I	Super 4 exit	Rohit Sharma
Australia	Home	T20I	2-1 win	Rohit Sharma
South Africa	Home	T20I	2-1 win	Rohit Sharma
T20 World Cup 2022	Australia	T20I	Semifinal Exit	Rohit Sharma
Bangladesh	Away	ODI	1-2 Loss	Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul
Bangladesh	Away	Test	2-0 win	KL Rahul
Sri Lanka	Home	T20	2-1 win	Hardik Pandya
Sri Lanka	Home	ODI	3-0 win	Rohit Sharma
New Zealand	Home	ODI	3-0 win	Rohit Sharma
New Zealand	Home	T20I	2-1 win	Hardik Pandya
Australia	Home	Test	2-1 win	Rohit Sharma
Australia	Home	ODI	1-2 Loss	Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma
WTC Final 2023	England	Test	Lost to Australia	Rohit Sharma