Rahul Dravid confirms he will step down as India coach after T20 World Cup

Rahul Dravid on Monday confirmed his decision to step down as India head coach at the end of the ongoing T20 World Cup, ending all speculation over his future in the role.

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Dravid finally broke his silence on what is one of the most widely discussed topics among Indian cricket fans as well as experts, that of the head coach of the Indian cricket team and who can replace the batting legend in the role.

Dravid had the choice to reapply for the post on Monday. The former India captain however, has reportedly made it clear that he shall not be doing so, and that the ongoing mega tournament that is being co-hosted by West Indies and USA will be his final assignment in charge.

“Every tournament is important. Every game that I’ve coached for India has been very important for me. For me, this is no different just because it is going to be the last one that I’m in charge of. I love doing the job. I’ve really enjoyed coaching India, and I think it’s a truly special job to do. I’ve enjoyed working with this team, and it’s a great bunch of boys to work with,” Dravid told reporters on Monday, according to ESPNCricinfo.

“Unfortunately, just the kind of schedules (that are in place in international cricket) and where I find myself in this stage in my life, I don’t think I’ll be able to re-apply. Having said that, it’s no different for me to be very honest. I don’t see this anything particularly different or significant. From the first day I took the job, I always felt that every game was important and every game mattered, and that will not change,” Dravid added.

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Dravid had taken over the role of India head coach for all formats in late 2021, around which time Rohit Sharma had also begun to replace Virat Kohli as India captain across formats. During Dravid’s tenure, India reached the semi-final of the 2022 T20 World Cup besides finishing runners-up in the World Test Championship final and the ODI World Cup last year. India had also won the Asia Cup that was played in the ODI format right before the World Cup.

The former India captain’s contract was originally supposed to end after last year’s ODI World Cup, but had been extended till the ongoing T20 World Cup, giving Dravid the opportunity to sign off as the coach of a World Cup-winning Indian team.

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Looking back at his journey as head coach, Dravid felt India had performed “really well” in the World Cups and were consistent with their performances, adding that the Rohit Sharma-led side were right up there with “some of the best teams” when it came to the parameter of consistency.

“To be very honest, I think we’ve actually played really well in these World Cup tournaments. In terms of our consistency, we’ve been very consistent. Making the semi-final in the first, in the T20 one in Australia [in 2022]. The World Test Championship is slightly different in terms of it’s not one tournament, but it’s a whole cycle, but playing extremely well in the cycle to get to the final there again [in 2023]. The 50-over World Cup where we had a great run and went into the final [in 2023]. In terms of our consistency, in terms of the quality of cricket that we have played in these big tournaments, I think we’ve been right up there with some of the best teams,” Dravid said.

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Dravid’s final assignment as India head coach, and possibly Rohit’s last as India T20I captain, starts on Wednesday with the 2007 T20 world champions taking on Ireland in New York, the venue where they defeated Bangladesh by 60 runs in their only warm-up match ahead of the tournament. They play two more matches in the ‘Big Apple’, against arch-rivals Pakistan and co-hosts USA on 9 and 12 June respectively before flying to Florida for their final group match, against Canada on 15 June.

Helping India lift the trophy in Barbados on 29 June will not give Dravid his first World Cup trophy either as player or as coach, it will also end India’s drought of ICC titles that has lasted 11 years now.