BCCI secretary Jay Shah on Friday said that Rahul Dravid, the incumbent men’s team head coach can re-apply for the post as the national cricket board is set to invite applications to hire a new head coach before the team heads to the US and the West Indies for the ICC T20 World Cup, starting June 1.
Dravid, whose two-year contract was originally set to end after last year’s ICC ODI World Cup, was convinced to take an extension till the T20 World Cup as the BCCI invited applications for the head coach only after the incumbent coach’s tenure had ended. However, this time around, applications will be invited even before the team leaves for the T20 World Cup.
“We will call for applications in the next few days. Rahul Dravid’s tenure is coming to an end in June. If he wants to re-apply, he can,” Shah said during a media interaction at the BCCI headquarters.
The board secretary also confirmed that the new coach will be offered a three-year contract, lasting till the 2027 ODI World Cup, and did not rule out the possibility of hiring a foreign coach depending on the decision of the Cricket Advisory Committee.
“We are looking for a long-term coach for three years. Ultimately, it will be the Cricket Advisory Committee’s (CAC) call. If the CAC selects a foreign coach, I can’t interfere. I have to implement what they decide,” he said.
While the rest of the support staff, including the batting and bowling coaches, will be appointed in consultation with the new head coach, Shah, however ruled out chances of appointing multi-format coaches.
“There is no precedent of different coaches for different formats in Indian cricket. Besides, we have a number of all-format players,” he said.
The CAC will also decide on a new national selector for which the BCCI had already advertised in January this year. The new selector is likely to replace Salil Ankola, who is the second member of the selection committee from the west zone, along with chairman Ajit Agarkar.
“A few interviews for the selector’s post have already happened. The CAC will meet in a week’s time to finalise the name, and we will announce it soon,” Shah said.
T20 World Cup-bound players from eliminated IPL teams to leave early
The BCCI secretary said that the T20 World Cup-bound Indian team will leave in two batches, with the players whose teams don’t qualify for the IPL playoffs will leave on May 24 along with the coaching staff. The rest of the squad will leave after the IPL final on May 26.
India will open their T20 World Cup campaign against Ireland on June 5.
New venues for WTC final?
Acknowledging the challenges in locating a different time slot or another location that could hold the World Test Championship (WTC) final in June, Shah said that the BCCI has spoken to the International Cricket Council in this regard.
The first two finals were played in England where India lost. The third WTC final will also be played in England in June 2025.
“We have spoken to the ICC about it. They will consider changing the venue. There are only three main Test centres — India, England and Australia. You cannot hold it in Australia during that window or even in India. Even in Bengaluru, it rains during that time,” said Shah.
India continues to enjoy the top spot in the ongoing World Test Championship rankings with 74 points and 68.52 per cent with Australia closing on the heels in the second spot with 90 points in 12 matches and a point percentage of 62.50.
Rohit Sharma’s men will look to bolster their position in the WTC standings as they still have two home series in the ongoing cycle.
Meanwhile, Shah remained non-committal on running for the ICC chairman’s post, which will be vacant once the incumbent Greg Barclay’s tenure ends later this year.
“Let me be here in the BCCI. Let there be speculation. But let me be here (in the BCCI). Am I not doing a good job?” he asked.