The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced on Wednesday the extension of contracts for head coach Rahul Dravid and the support staff of Team India.
“The BCCI engaged in productive discussions with Rahul Dravid after the term of his contract ended following the recently concluded ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 and unanimously agreed to further the tenure,” the BCCI said in an official statement.
“The Board acknowledges Dravid’s instrumental role in molding the Indian team and commends his exceptional professionalism. The Board also appreciates VVS Laxman for his exemplary roles as the Head of NCA and as the stand-in head coach. Similar to their legendary on-field partnerships, Dravid and Laxman have worked closely in driving Indian cricket forward,” the statement added.
Batting coach Vikram Rathour, fielding coach T Dilip, and bowling coach Paras Mhambrey will continue their stint with Team India as the BCCI also extended contracts for the support staff.
Dravid’s second stint with Team India will begin with the tour of South Africa from December 10, which will include three ODIs and T20Is each and two Tests. The red-ball leg will start from December 26.
Following that will be a five-match Test series against England at home before the ICC T20 World Cup in June in the West Indies/USA.
Dravid replaced Ravi Shastri following a disappointing ICC T20 World Cup campaign in 2021, which saw India exit in the Super 12 stage. He was appointed for a two-year term, which ended with India’s runner-up finish in the recently concluded ICC Cricket World Cup at home.
On the contract extension, Dravid said, “The last two years with Team India have been thoroughly memorable.
Together, we have witnessed the highs and lows, and throughout this journey, the support and camaraderie within the group have been phenomenal. I am genuinely proud of the culture we have set in the dressing room. It’s a culture that stands resilient, whether in moments of triumph or adversity. The skills and talent that our team possesses are phenomenal, and what we’ve stressed is following the right process and sticking to our preparations, which has had a direct impact on the overall result.