In a big move Rahul Dravid along with his coaching staff received a contract extension from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Wednesday, November 29. Their previous contracts ended with the conclusion of the World Cup 2023. Despite rumors of the BCCI seeking a new coach, all parties agreed to extend Dravid's contract. It was learnt that skipper Rohit Sharma and Team India's chief selector Ajit Agarkar were in favour of Dravid continuing as head coach till the T20 World Cup.
However, before Dravid officially accepted the extension, the BCCI approached Ashish Nehra, coach of the Gujarat Titans, to take over as the national team's head coach for the T20 format. It was also learnt that Nehra was offered the job, but he declined due to his obligations to the Indian Premier League franchise. Meanwhile, one of the PTI reports explained Nehra's reasoning for turning down the offer.
It is important to note that Gujarat Titans coach Ashish Nehra has never had any intention of becoming the national team's head coach, as he has consistently stated his desire to ‘honor his contract with GT until 2025'.
Ashish Nehra has young family and prefers to avoid extensive travel, which is a significant demand of being the India coach. He is currently content with his two-and-a-half month IPL coaching commitments. However, he may consider becoming the national team's white-ball coach in the future when the timing is more appropriate.
The length of Rahul Dravid's contract is expected to continue until the conclusion of the T20 World Cup 2024. A decision regarding his future with the national team will be made after the event. Meanwhile, Nehra's current contract with his IPL franchise, Gujarat Titans, extends until 2025. Given the franchise's recent loss of captain Hardik Pandya to Mumbai Indians, they are understandably reluctant to let go of their highly sought-after coach at this time. Additionally, Nehra has no desire to force a move.
Besides Dravid, batting coach Vikram Rathour, fielding coach T Dilip and bowling coach Paras Mhambrey will also continue their stint with Team India as BCCI also extended contracts of the support staff.
Meanwhile after his contract extension, Dravid said, “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.”
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