In what can be a major reshuffle in India's backroom staff, head coach Rahul Dravid is reportedly not keen to continue in his role for the Indian team. Dravid, who was at the helm of India's recent ODI World Cup 2023 campaign, is not with the team for the T20I series against Australia. Dravid, whose contract with the team has ended, remained non-committal on his future as India head coach after the completion of the World Cup 2023.
Now according to a report in Times of India, Dravid is not keen anymore to be the India head coach for the times to come. He does not want to go through the grind he has been as a player and then as a coach. It adds that India's final match under Dravid was the World Cup final against Australia. "Dravid has communicated to the BCCI that he isn't keen to continue as a full-time coach. For close to 20 years, he has travelled with the Indian team as a player, and for the past couple of years, he again went through the same grind, which he doesn't want to undergo," a BCCI source said as quoted by the English daily.
"He's fine with a role at the NCA as the head there (a role he previously served in), which will allow him to stay back in his hometown Bengaluru. Like earlier, he's fine with coaching the team sporadically, but not again as a full-time coach," the source added.
Laxman all set to be next coach
The report adds that former India player VVS Laxman is set to be the next India head coach and he has expressed his 'keenness' for the role. "Laxman has expressed his keenness for the job. During the World Cup, Laxman travelled to Ahmedabad to meet the BCCI's top bosses in this regard. He's likely to sign a long-time contract as the Team India coach, and will certainly travel with the team in that capacity for the upcoming tour of South Africa, which will be his first as the full-time India head coach," the source said.
India are currently playing in a five-match T20I series against Australia and have Laxman and Suryakumar Yadav working together as head coach and captain for the series. The Men in Blue have to play five T20Is from November 23 and then have a three-match series scheduled to play against South Africa from December 10.
