The BCCIhas announced that it will soon invite applications for India’s next head coach, as confirmed by secretary Jay Shah.

Rahul Dravid, who has been India’s head coach since November 2021 after taking over from Ravi Shastri, got his contract renewed along with the support staff after the 2023 ODI World Cup. With his short extension ending in June this year, India will soon roll out advertisements for the latest candidate in the role.

“Dravid can re-apply”

Under Dravid, India won the 50-over Asia Cup last year and reached the 2023 ODI World Cup final after winning 10 games on the trot. They also qualified for the final of the World Test Championship but lost to Australia at the Oval.

Speaking to a group of reporters, Shah revealed that Dravid could reapply for the post if he wished to: “Rahul’s tenure is only up to June. So if he wants to apply, he is free to do so. Other members of the coaching staff, such as batting, bowling, and fielding coaches, will be decided after consultation with the new coach.

No split-coaching

He also said that India will not go for a split-coaching setup, similar to the one in England.

“We cannot determine whether the new coach will be Indian or foreign. It will be up to the CAC, and we are a global body. That decision will also be made by the CAC. There are many all-format players, like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Rishabh Pant, among others. Moreover, there is no precedent for such a situation in India, ” Shah said.

Shah revealed that the new coach will serve a long tenure with an initial period of three years. He also quashed the recent reports claiming the return of the defunct Champions League T20. Furthermore, he stated that Hardik Pandya, who has received an A grade in the new BCCI Central Contracts, has agreed to feature in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

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