MUMBAI:
Rahul Dravid
's stint as the
Indian cricket team
's head coach may be coming to an end, with
BCCI
secretary
Jay Shah
announcing that the board will advertise for a new head coach in the next few days. Shah clarified that "Dravid can reapply for the job, if he wants to".
The new coach will be appointed for a three-year term extending to 2027 ODI World Cup.
Shah did not rule out the possibility of BCCI hiring a foreign coach. India are unlikely to opt for a split coaching role for limited overs and Test formats.
Dravid, who took over in November 2021, was handed a short-term extension till the
T20 World Cup
in US and Caribbean in June. His two-year contract ended with the team's defeat in the final of ODI World Cup last November.
TOI has learnt that Dravid is unlikely to reapply for the current job.
Cannot say whether new coach will be Indian or foreign, says BCCI secretary
Other members of the revamped coaching staff, such as batting, bowling, and fielding coaches, will be decided after consulting the new coach. "We cannot determine whether the new coach will be Indian or foreign. It will be up to the cricket advisory committee (CAC)," Shah said.
The three-member CAC, headed by former batter Ashok Malhotra and including Jatin Paranjape and Sulakshana Naik, will also have to finalise the appointment of a national selector.
Impact Player rule was a 'test case'
Shah was non-committal on the continuation of the controversial 'Impact Player' rule in the IPL and stressed that the issue will be decided after consultation with franchises and broadcasters. However, he defended the rule, introduced in the IPL from 2023, on the grounds that it allows two extra Indian players to be in the XI of an IPL side.
"Impact player was a test case. Two new Indian players are getting a chance in the IPL. We will discuss with the stakeholders - franchises and broadcasters - before deciding on the continuation of it . It is not permanent, but no one has provided feedback against the rule."
The BCCI's all-important meeting with the franchises to decide on the retention rules will be held soon, he said. TOI has learnt that some franchises are in favour of a s many as eight retentions, while some want none. He also clarified that there have been no discussions on reviving the Champions League T20 tournament, contrary to recent claims made by an official from Cricket Victoria in Mumbai.
2027 WTC final may be held outside UK
Shah revealed that the BCCI had taken up the issue of holding the 2027 World Test Championship (WTC) final outside of England with the ICC. The first two WTC finals were held in the UK, while the third one too will be held there - at the Lord's Cricket Ground in 2025.
"We have spoken about the ICC for 2027. There are only three main Test centres - India, England, and Australia. You cannot hold it in Australia during that window or even in India," he said.
There is speculation that Shah will be taking up the position of International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman in November, as Greg Barclay's term ends later this year, but the BCCI secretary didn't reveal his cards. "Let there be speculation. But let me be here (in the BCCI). Am I not doing a good job?" he said in jest.
No increase in domestic match fee
Shah said that there will be no increase in the remuneration for domestic players. He also revealed that India's T20 vice-captain
Hardik Pandya
, who has been awarded an A grade in Central Contracts, has agreed to play in the Syed Mushtaq Ali and Vijay Hazare white-ball domestic tournaments.
Shah informed that the High Performance Centre at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru will be operational from August.
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