Rahul Dravid’s future as India head coach resolved after period of brief uncertainty | Cricket News

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Wednesday has announced the contract extension of head coach Rahul Dravid and the support staffs like bowling coach Paras Mhambrey, batting coach Vikram Rathour and fielding coach T Dilip. “The BCCI engaged in productive discussions with Mr. Rahul Dravid after the term of his contract ended following the recently concluded ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 and unanimously agreed to further the tenure,” BCCI said in a statement.
The Indian Express has reported that India captain Rohit Sharma and chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar are of the view that Dravid should continue till the next T20 World Cup, which will be played in the USA and West Indies from June next year.

Dravid’s contract had expired at the end of the World Cup but the BCCI has offered the former Indian captain a new contract.
“The last two years with Team India have been thoroughly memorable. Together, we have witnessed the highs and lows, and throughout this journey, the support and camaraderie within the group have been phenomenal. I am genuinely proud of the culture we have set in the dressing room. It’s a culture that stands resilient, whether in moments of triumph or adversity. The skills and talent that our team possesses are phenomenal, and what we’ve stressed is following the right process and sticking to our preparations, which has had a direct impact on the overall result,” said Dravid on his contract extension.
“The demands of this role necessitate considerable time away from home, and I deeply appreciate my family’s sacrifices and support. Their instrumental role behind the scenes has been invaluable. As we embrace new challenges post the World Cup, we remain committed to the pursuit of excellence.”

NEWS 🚨 -BCCI announces extension of contracts for Head Coach and Support Staff, Team India (Senior Men)
More details here – https://t.co/rtLoyCIEmi #TeamIndia
— BCCI (@BCCI) November 29, 2023
The BCCI has also showered praise on VVS Laxman, who is the head of National Cricket Acamdey (NCA) and has chipped in as a stand-in coach in absence of Dravid.
“The Board also appreciates VVS Laxman for his exemplary roles as Head of NCA and as the stand-in Head Coach. Similar to their legendary on-field partnerships, Dravid and Laxman have worked closely in driving Indian Cricket forward,” read BCCI statement.
Under Rahul Dravid’s tenure as head coach, India has lost against England in the semifinals of the T20 World Cup, have lost two World Test Championship (WTC) finals against New Zealand and Australia, respectively, and the most recently the ODI World Cup final loss against Australia.

“As Head Coach of the Indian Cricket Team, you are always under immense scrutiny and I extend appreciation to him not only for embracing the challenges but for thriving in them. The performances of the Indian Team are a testament to his strategic guidance. I am delighted that he accepted the offer to remain the Head Coach,” said BCCI president Roger Binny.
BCCI secretary Jay Shah has called India’s World Cup run extraordinary and hailed Dravid’s commitment.
“There is no better person than Rahul Dravid to take over the role of Head Coach and he has proven himself again with his unparalleled commitment to excellence.
“Having won 10 consecutive games before the final, our World Cup campaign was nothing short of extraordinary, and the Head Coach deserves appreciation for setting up the right platform for the team to flourish. The Head Coach has our full backing, and we will provide him with all the support needed for sustained success at the international level.”