On Monday, May 13, the Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) invited applications for the position of Indian senior men’s head coach.
The head coach, Rahul Dravid, is on the retainer until the end of the upcoming T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the United States of America (USA). Originally beginning his coaching stint in the senior men’s side in November 2021, he was earlier offered a short-term extension from the board to continue till the World Cup this year, which he decided to accept.
Before inviting the applications, the BCCI secretary Jay Shah confirmed that Dravid can reapply. “We will call for applications in the next few days. Rahul Dravid’s tenure is coming to an end in June. If he wants to reapply, he can,” Shah had said at the BCCI headquarters.
Shah also reminded that India doesn’t have a tradition of split coaching, and hence, the selected candidate will be India’s head coach for all three formats.
Applications for the position can be submitted to the BCCI by 6 PM IST on May 27, 2024. The selected candidate will be given a term of 3.5 years that will begin on July 1, 2024, and will go on until December 31, 2027.
The job description states that the “successful candidate will be responsible for developing a world-class Indian cricket team which delivers sustained success in all conditions and formats, inspiring current and future generations of cricketers and stakeholders with their approach to the game.”
There are also eligibility criteria set for candidates. The candidates should be below 69 years of age. They should have played a minimum of 30 Test matches or 50 ODIs or be the head coach of a full member Test playing nation for a minimum period of two years, or the head coach of an associate member/IPL team or equivalent league/first class teams/National A teams, for a minimum period of three years. BCCI Level 3 Certification holders can also apply.
“The selection process will include a thorough review of applications, followed by personal interviews and assessments of short-listed candidates,” BCCI’s press release mentioned.