Rahul Dravid and his support staff consisting of batting coach Vikram Rathour, bowling coach Paras Mhambrey and fielding coach T Dilip were granted an extension on their contracts by the BCCI ahead of the upcoming India tour of South Africa.
India will play 3 T20Is, 3 ODIs, and 2 Tests in December-January against South Africa. While Rahul Dravid and co.’s tenure ended with the ICC World Cup 2023, the BCCI decided to give an extension to the coaching staff.
Though the precise length of his second term is unknown, the BCCI has also extended the contract of India head coach Rahul Dravid at least until the T20 World Cup. Dravid took over as head coach during Sourav Ganguly's BCCI Presidentship tenure, and the former India left-hander was pleased with his former teammate's contract extension.
"I'm not surprised that they have shown faith in Dravid. When I was president of the Board, we convinced him to do this job. And I'm so happy to see yesterday that his tenure has been extended. It was always the case, depending on whether he wanted it or not. I wish him luck for another World Cup in June. He was very close this time.
They may not have won it, but they probably were the best team in the competition with the way they played. So he's got another seven months for a World Cup in the West Indies. Hopefully, at that time, he will not be runners-up, but a champion," he said at an event in Kolkata.
Sourav Ganguly backs Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to be part of India’s T20 World Cup 2024 squad
Meanwhile, the Test squad saw veteran batters Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara being overlooked as Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul were included in the middle order. Sourav Ganguly stated that most likely the India careers of the two excellent batters are over.
“At some point in time you have to play new talents. It happens, there is enormous talent in India and the team has to progress. Pujara and Rahane had enormous success for India, sport doesn't remain with you forever. You cannot be there forever, it will happen to everyone. I must thank them what they have done for Indian cricket and selectors want fresh faces, so that's the way it is,” Ganguly added.
(PTI inputs)
