Following the conclusion of the ODI World Cup 2023, the contract of Rahul Dravid as the head coach of the Indian cricket team ran out. In the immediate aftermath, reports have emerged that the former India captain is not keen to extend his contract with the BCCI to stay on as the head coach of the national team.
Although India lost to Australia in the final of the ODI World Cup 2023 on Sunday, November 19, the CWC campaign was one of the most impressive for Rahul Dravid during his coaching stint with the national team, which lasted for around two years. Apart from securing the Asia Cup 2023, he managed to take the Men in Blue to the final of the World Test Championship (WTC) earlier this year and the semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2022.
As the time for Rahul Dravid in the head coach role of the Indian cricket team came to an end in all likelihood, the appointment of his successor is imminent. With that, SportsTiger looks at the potential options for the full-time head coach of Team India in this feature article.
VVS Laxman
During his ongoing stint as the head of the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru, VVS Laxman has been given the role of coaching the Indian cricket team on a temporary basis multiple times in the absence of then-head coach Rahul Dravid. Therefore, the 49-year-old could be the first in line to take the coaching role of Team India on a permanent basis in the near future.
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Mike Hesson
Mike Hesson, the world-travelled coach in the sport of cricket, parted ways with the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL from his role as Director of Cricket earlier this year after four years at the job. Although the New Zealander has currently taken up the head coach role at Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), he might give it up for the opportunity of a lifetime to be at the helm of the Indian cricket team.
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Ashish Nehra
Ashish Nehra is one of the most successful coaches on the franchise cricket circuit recently, has taken the newest IPL team Gujarat Titans to two successive finals in the tournament, securing the coveted trophy in their first season in 2022. The 44-year-old is reportedly not interested in taking over the coaching role of Team India at the moment, but he might not deny any approaches made by the BCCI officials to take up the job.
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Tom Moody
Tom Moody has the experience of being a coach to international and franchise cricket teams in his career which began after he retired as a player in 2001. A few years ago, the 58-year-old had applied for the coaching role of the Indian cricket team without being given an opportunity at that time, but it could prove to be not the case this time around.
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Virender Sehwag
Virender Sehwag, one of the greatest opening batters in the history of cricket, could be one of the front runners to coach the Indian cricket team. The former mentor of the Punjab Kings, the Indian Premier League (IPL) team, was once asked to apply for the job by BCCI officials and then captain Virat Kohli when the tenure of Anil Kumble at the helm was coming to an end.
