Sourav Ganguly, the former captain of the Indian cricket team, expressed his joy at the news of Rahul Dravid’s contract extension as the head coach of the national team. Ganguly, who played a pivotal role in bringing Dravid into the coaching setup after Ravi Shastri’s tenure, revealed that he was not surprised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) decision, considering India’s stellar performance in the recently concluded ODI World Cup.
Dravid assumed the role of head coach post the T20 World Cup in 2021, succeeding Ravi Shastri. After India’s campaign in the ODI World Cup, there were speculations about Dravid’s future, with VVS Laxman being a frontrunner for the position. However, Dravid chose to continue leading the team, a decision Ganguly fully supports. Ganguly extended his best wishes to Dravid for the upcoming T20 World Cup in 2024.
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“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. It was always the case, depending on whether he wanted it or not. I wish him luck for another World Cup in June,” said Sourav Ganguly.
Reflecting on India’s performance in the recent ODI World Cup, Ganguly commended the team, stating that although they may not have secured the title, they were arguably the best team in the competition. Looking ahead to the T20 World Cup in the West Indies, Ganguly expressed his hope that Dravid would clinch the championship, not just be runners-up.
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As for the ambiguity surrounding Dravid’s tenure extension, neither Dravid nor the BCCI provided clear details. Dravid mentioned that the board would offer clarification once he and the support staff finalize the new contract in the coming days. While the formalities are expected to be completed before the team’s departure to South Africa, verbal agreements have already been reached.