Rahul Dravid, who had taken over as India‘s head coach in November 2021, stepped down from the role on Saturday after leading the team to the T20 World Cup 2024 title. This marked Dravid’s first ICC title as head coach, a feat that left many fans and experts wishing he had stayed on.

“Citing family commitments, he expressed his desire to step down, which we respected. I did not pressurize him to extend his role,” BCCI secretary Jay Shah said to the press.

Shah appreciated Dravid for his support for Indian cricket, first as a player and later as a coach and administrator.

“Rahul bhai has made an impact on Indian cricket, over the past five and a half years. He served as the Director of the National Cricket Academy for three years, and then took on the role of Head Coach of the Indian national team for the subsequent two and a half years,” he continued.

Despite India’s defeat in the ODI World Cup 2023 final, Shah explained the reasons behind extending Rahul Dravid’s contract as head coach. He highlighted Dravid’s integral role within the team and drew comparisons between Dravid and captain Rohit Sharma’s leadership.

“Rahul bhai’s contributions was just as vital as Rohit Sharma’s in the team’s T20 World Cup triumph. As the head coach, Dravid guided the squad to the ODI World Cup 2023 final, and was determined to stay on and complete the unfinished business,” he stated.

Media reports indicate that Gautam Gambhir is the frontrunner for the role, competing with WV Raman. Furthermore, following the T20 World Cup final, fans witnessed the retirement of captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from T20 international cricket, paving the way for younger players to step up.