Jay Shah and Rahul Dravid. Photo- Getty
Jay Shah and Rahul Dravid. Photo- Getty

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah has confirmed that the board will soon release an advertisement for the position of Indian team head coach role.

Dravid, who had a two-year contract, was offered an extension, along with his support staff, following the conclusion of the ODI World Cup in November last year. The team of assistant coaches for batting, bowling, and fielding will be finalized once the new coach is hired and consulted.

“We will call for applications in the next few days. Rahul Dravid’s tenure is coming to an end. He has to reapply if he has to continue. We are looking for a long-term coach, for three years,” BCCI secretary Shah said while talking to media at the BCCI office in Mumbai on Thursday.

Shah said considering a foreign coach for the job is up to the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC). Shah also stated that, as has been the case with the BCCI, the same coach will likely be assigned to all formats rather than separate coaches for white-ball and Test cricket.

“We cannot determine whether the new coach will be Indian or foreign. It will be up to the CAC, and we are a global body.

That decision will also be made by the CAC. There are many all-format players, like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Rishabh Pant, among others. Moreover, there is no precedent for such a situation in India,” Shah said.

The BCCI secretary also revealed that a few candidates have already been interviewed for the vacant post of one national selector.

“Impact player was a test case”- Jay Shah

The impact player rule has been extensively discussed during the ongoing IPL 2024. The rule, which was introduced in the Indian Premier League this season, permits each team to make one substitute every innings.

However, numerous present and past cricketers have expressed dissatisfaction with the job, claiming that it restricts the function of an all-rounder in the team. The concern was also that it allows teams to play with eight batters, resulting in tournament records being set and even chased.

Shah refused to commit to the continuation of the Impact Player rule in the Indian Premier League (IPL), saying it would be decided after consulting with captains and coaches. However, he emphasized the importance of the provision, which permits two additional Indian players to be included in an IPL team’s XI.

“Impact player was a test case. Two new Indian players are getting a chance in the IPL. We will discuss with the stakeholders – franchises and broadcasters – before deciding on the continuation of the Impact Player. It’s not permanent, but no one has provided feedback against the rule,” he said.

The meeting with the franchises, he revealed, will be conducted soon, along with the finalisation of the retention rules.

Also Read: ‘If This Doesn’t Wake Up KL Rahul…’- Mitchell McClenaghan Responded on Rahul’s Slow Knock