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Journalism of Courage
This is an archive article published on June 4, 2024
Rahul Dravid confirms T20 World Cup as his last assignment as India head coach: ‘No different than my first day’
With the BCCI Secretary Jay Shah having stated that Dravid can re-apply for the role, the latter on Monday deemed it unlikely.
Dravid took over as the India head coach in November 2021. His initial contract with the national side had come to an end after the 2023 ODI World Cup, and was later extended until the 2024 T20 World Cup. (Reuters)
India head coach Rahul Dravid on Monday confirmed that the ongoing T20 World Cup is his last dance with the national team, furthermore expressing his doubts over re-applying for the job owing to the schedule of the national team.
“It is going to be the last one that I am in-charge of,” Dravid said ahead of India’s first game against Ireland in New York. “Yeah, just considering, unfortunately, the kind of schedules and where I find myself at this stage in my life, I don’t think I’ll be able to re-apply. So yeah, obviously it’ll be my last one.”
Dravid took over as the India head coach in November 2021. His initial contract with the national side had come to an end after the 2023 ODI World Cup, and was extended to June 2024 after the team managed to produce a near-perfect campaign until the loss to Australia in the final.
In April, the BCCI had invited applications for the head coach job following the T20 World Cup. Back then, the BCCI Secretary Jay Shah had stated that Dravid can re-apply for the role but the latter on Monday deemed it unlikely
When asked if his time with the team coming to an end, made the World Cup an ‘extra special’ event for him, Dravid gave a typically measured response.
“It’s no different for me. I love doing the job. I’ve really enjoyed coaching India and I think it’s a truly special job to do. I enjoyed working with this team and it’s a great bunch of boys to work with,” Dravid said.
“To be very honest, I don’t see this as anything particularly different or significant. It’s from the first day I took the job. I always felt that every game was important and every game mattered. And that will not change,” he added.
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Former India opener Gautam Gambhir, who recently mentored KKR to their third IPL title, is being seen as a top contender for Dravid’s successor. Gambhir has also expressed his interest in the role.
“I would love to coach the Indian team. There is no bigger honour. You are representing 140 crore Indians and more across the globe as well, and when you represent India, how can it get bigger than that? It is not me that will help India win the World Cup, it is 140 crore Indians who will help India win the World Cup,” Gambhir had said at a public event recently.
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