Former India all-rounder Reetinder Singh Sodhi feels that with Rahul Dravid being named the head coach of the India white-ball team on the Sri Lanka tour, it is just a matter of time when he replaces Ravi Shastri as the full-time coach of Team India.
With Shastri accompanying Virat Kohli and co. on their tour of the UK featuring the WTC 2021 final against New Zealand and the five-Test series against England; the BCCI put Rahul Dravid, a former India A, and U19 coach, at the helm of the Shikhar Dhawan-led India team for white-ball tour of Sri Lanka, which begins on July 13.
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Shastri's contract is set to expire after the completion of the T20 World Cup later this year, and Reetinder Sodhi, while lauding Shastri for an exceptional job at the helm, said that he has no ICC title to show for his achievements.
Sodhi, part of India's Under-19 World Cup win in the year 2000, feels that since the BCCI reached out to Dravid to coach India in Sri Lanka, it means that the former India captain must definitely be in the board's scheme of things to take over as the next official head coach.
"First of all, we have to acknowledge that Ravi Shastri has done a great job as a coach. And yes, his contract is coming to an end. But let's think about it… a temporary arrangement and that too Rahul Dravid? I think it's virtually impossible.
If he is going to Sri Lanka as the head coach, somewhere it's a clear indication that he is in line. If there's anyone that can replace Ravi Shastri as a coach, that person in Rahul Dravid," Sodhi, who played 18 ODIs for India, told India News Sports.
Under Rahul Dravid, India U19 won the 2018 Youth World Cup in New Zealand, and the A team returned favorable results both at home and overseas. With Sourav Ganguly taking over as BCCI president in 2019, Dravid was appointed director of the National Cricket Academy (NCA).
"I'm sure he must have been asked about it. Had he wanted to remain director of cricket or NCA head, he could have easily said no. He is a family man; he could have stayed in Bengaluru. But he has taken the responsibility. He is going and wants the team to do well. I feel that if there is a replacement, Dravid is very much in line. Such a legendary player can never be a temporary option," Sodhi pointed out.
