‘We convinced him to do this job’: Ganguly on Rahul Dravid becoming India coach | Cricket

That Rahul Dravid will continue as India’s head coach is confirmed but for how long is not. Dravid himself confirmed that he is yet to sign the extension document and will not be able to comment anything about the tenure of his extension while coming out of the selection committee cum review meeting for the ODI World Cup, in Delhi. As per multiple reports, however, it appears like Dravid is set to continue till the T20 World Cup next year.

With the T20 World Cup being just six months away, the BCCI did not want to break the continuity and decided to give an extension to the entire support staff. Makes sense. After all, Dravid and his men were one of the main reasons behind India’s dominating show in the ODI World Cup.

Convincing Dravid to become the head coach of the senior side is nothing new for the board. It was during Sourav Ganguly’s tenure as BCCI president that Dravid was convinced to take over as the head coach after Ravi Shastri decided not to continue post the T20 World Cup in UAE in 2021. Ganguly, a former India captain, was happy for his teammate’s contract extension.

“I’m not surprised that they have shown faith in Dravid. When I was president of the Board, we convinced him to do this job. And I’m so happy to see yesterday that his tenure has been extended,” Ganguly told reports in Kolkata

“It was always the case, depending on whether he wanted it or not. I wish him luck for another World Cup in June. He was very close this time.

“They may not have won it, but they probably were the best team in the competition with the way they played. So he’s got another seven months for a World Cup in the West Indies. Hopefully, at that time, he will not be runners-up, but a champion,” he said.

Dravid’s immediate assignment would be to help India beat South Africa in their own backyard. India will play three T20s, three ODIs and two Test in the Rainbow nation.

Asked about India’s title drought at an ICC global showpiece, Ganguly said: “Hopefully they will cross the bridge one day. As a captain, I’ve qualified for three finals, and lost twice — 2003 World Cup and 2001 Champions Trophy. So I don’t have the right to say how to win finals. I managed just one win that too as joint winners with Sri Lanka (2002 Champions Trophy),” he said.

“At least, they are making the final and by dominating the tournament. Hopefully they will cross the bridge one day, their luck will change. There is no rocket science. At Australia 47/3, India had a great chance, one wicket and it would have been different.”