Mumbai: Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah on Friday declined the claims made by former Australia batters Rickey Ponting and Justin Langer that they have been approached by the Indian Cricket Board to carry the baton from current India's head coach Rahul Dravid. Dravid's tenure as the head coach of team India will end with the conclusion of the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024, starting from June 2.
Dravid's original tenure ended with the ODI World Cup 2023, but then BCCI extended it till the forthcoming T20I showpiece which will be held in the Caribbean Islands and Americas. This will be India's second T20 World Cup under the coach and support staff after their shocking exit from the semi-finals stage of the 2022 edition of the marquee event.
While Dravid has reportedly told the board that he is not interested in a third stint, Ponting and Langer on the same day have claimed that they have turned down approaches made by the board for the high-profile position.
"Neither I nor the BCCI have approached any former Australian cricketer with a coaching offer. The reports circulating in certain media sections are completely incorrect," Shah said in a media statement.
Both Ponting and Langer are involved in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as the head coaches of Delhi Capitals (DC) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) respectively. However, neither of the teams have qualified for the playoffs of the ongoing 17th season of the cash-rich league.
"Finding the right coach for our national team is a meticulous and thorough process. We are focused on identifying individuals who possess a deep understanding of the Indian cricket structure and have risen through the ranks," Shah said, dropping hints that Dravid's successor could well be an Indian.
The BCCI secretary also mentioned that the board is looking for someone who has in-depth knowledge of Indian domestic cricket which is also an important criteria for appointing the next coach. He said the understanding would be crucial to "truly elevate Team India to the next level."
Former batter Gautam Gambhir, who is mentoring Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) right now, is speculated to be among the top contenders for the post. Gambhir has been working with the IPL teams since the year 2022 but doesn't have any coaching experience at the domestic or international level. Albeit, his sharp cricketing mind and incredible game sense makes him a formidable contender.
Gambhir's record as captain for India or IPL franchise is also quite outstanding. He has won all six games where he captained India in late 2010 and early 2011 while clinching two IPL titles for the KKR in the years 2012 and 2014.
Notably, India last won the ICC major trophy in 2013 when Zimbabwe's Ducken Fletcher was India's head coach. When the MS Dhoni-led Indian team won the ODI World Cup in 2011, the former South African batter Gary Kirstein was India's head coach. The BCCI have tried three former Indian cricketers including Anil Kumble, Ravi Shastri and Rahul Dravid at the helm after fletcher, but India didn't succeed in winning the trophies despite being favourites to win it in almost every championship.
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