Rahul Dravid will continue to serve the senior Indian men’s cricket team as head coach, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed last week.

After the World Cup 2023 campaign, it was widely reported that Dravid was not keen on extending his contract due to the hectic schedule of the national team but he agreed to take up the role.

While the Indian board announced the contract extension, it didn’t mention the duration this time around. Hence, the question remains for how long Dravid will continue to be India's head coach.

Dravid's former India teammate VVS Laxman is coaching the Indian team in the ongoing five-match T20I series against Australia. There was speculation that Laxman would be handed over the position entirely before BCCI released a statement on Dravid’s re-appointment.

Meanwhile, former India opener Gautam Gambhir has said that regardless of who holds the important post in the future, it should be an Indian.

“Countries like India and Pakistan should be coached by an Indian or a Pakistani. When I had said people asked, but we won the World Cup under Gary Kirsten,” said Gambhir while speaking on Sportskeeda.

"But the emotion that a Rahul Dravid has for that blue or white t-shirt, no foreign coach can ever have. Same for a Pakistani for that green or white shirt. We have such a rich history, we don't need to be looking outside. We are not a nation that started cricket just 10 or 15 years ago. We have had players who won us World Cups.

“Emotions are very important in sports. Commercial and financial angles are important but more important than that in sport is the emotional angle, that they remember that they had shed their blood, sweat and tears while they used to wear that jersey. If Rahul Dravid wants an extension, give him. Or else an Indian only should be India's head coach,” he added.

Under Rahul Dravid’s coaching, India reached the final of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 without losing a match but ended up losing to Australia in the title clash.

"The way they played the World Cup shows that our coaches are no less than any foreign coach," said Gambhir.

The Indian coaches may lack the presentation skills of a foreign coach, but Gambhir pointed out that they are connected to the grassroots level.

“We know how to work at the ground level, how to work hard on the field. We know how to teach the players the right emotion,” he remarked.