Rahul Dravid has asked for time, no confirmation on him becoming India’s next head coach: Sourav Ganguly

Sourav Ganguly, the former India cricket captain and current President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), has spoken out over Rahul Dravid’s appointment as Team India Head Coach after Ravi Shastri’s stint ends. Shastri had previously informed the BCCI that the T20 World Cup 2021 would be his final assignment with the team, with bowling coach Bharat Arun and fielding coach R Sridhar also slated to depart when the multi-team competition concludes on November 14th.

Dravid, 48, is widely seen as the front-runner to succeed Shastri, who has been with the team since 2017. He had previously been offered but turned down the post twice and was said to have consented to BCCI’s proposal this time, while Ganguly admitted that he had “just read it in newspapers, putting such confirmations on hold.” India Today quoted Ganguly as stating, “There is no confirmation (on Dravid being coach).”

“If he wants to apply, then the procedure must be followed. For the time being, he is the coach of NCA, and I believe NCA will play a significant part in Indian cricket. I had previously approached him about this and he was uninterested, and I believe the situation has not changed. Let’s see what happens now that he’s requested for some time”.

According to rumours, former India batter VVS Laxman has been given the position of NCA chairman by the BCCI, which has already begun seeking a replacement for Dravid. However, Laxman declined the offer and is expected to continue as Sunrisers Hyderabad:s coach and Bengal’s batting consultant in the domestic circuit.

Former players should be kept active in the development and progression of Indian cricket, according to BCCI president Sourav Ganguly.