While the ICC ODI World Cup is over, there are still a number of important tournaments to come for the Indian team, including the 2024 T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA in June next year, and the Champions Trophy in Pakistan in 2025.

With the challenges ahead, the Indian team will need to bounce back from the disappointing defeat to Australia and maintain the good form they displayed throughout the tournament. A key part of the preparation for the Men in Blue is the role played by the coaching staff, including head coach Rahul Dravid.

Dravid took over as India’s head coach after the 2021 T20 World Cup debacle and has continued to build the team, guiding them through two major ICC events – the 2022 T20 World Cup and the 2023 ODI World Cup. Mr Dependable’s contract as the team’s head coach is said to have expired and some reports have even suggested that VVS Laxman could replace his former teammate as the new coach of the Indian team.

When asked about the possibility of continuing as India coach at the post-match press conference, Dravid said, “I haven’t thought about it. Again, I’ve just come off a game. I have no time to think about this and no time to reflect on this. Yeah, I will when I get the time to do that. But at this point of time, I was completely focused on this campaign. It was focused on this World Cup, and there was nothing else on my mind. And I haven’t given any other thought to what happens in the future,” 

Asked about how he judged his tenure as the Indian coach, Dravid said, “To be honest, I am not really someone who’s going to judge and analyse myself. I was really proud to work with. I think the players that I worked with over the last two years in all the formats, it’s been a privilege.”

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Updated: 20 Nov 2023, 10:04 AM IST