Former India opener Gautam Gambhir praised the contract extension as Team India’s head coach Rahul Dravid, stating that it is good news for the national team with the 2024 T20 World Cup around the corner. The Men in Blue played a dominating brand of cricket in the ODI World Cup 2023, giving a new lease to Indian Cricket.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced on Wednesday the extension of contracts for Dravid and Team India’s support staff, as they renewed the contracts of Team India’s support personnel, including batting coach Vikram Rathour, fielding coach T Dilip, and bowling coach Paras Mhambrey.
Gautam Gambhir told ANI that he expects the Indian squad to play a dominant and aggressive style of cricket in the future and that he is pleased with Rahul Dravid accepting the extension of the Indian coach and feels that the Indian head coach and support staff can produce for the team.
“It’s a good thing because the T20 World Cup is around the corner and you don’t want to change the entire support staff, and it is good that Rahul has accepted it. Hopefully, we can continue to dominate and play good cricket, what India has done for a long period of time. The T20 format is different and challenging and hopefully, Rahul and the support staff can deliver. Congratulations to them,” Gautam Gambhir said.
Rahul Dravid’s second stint with Team India will begin on December 10 in South Africa, with three One-Day Internationals (ODIs), two Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is), and two Tests. After that, there will be a five-match Test series against England at home before the ICC T20 World Cup in the West Indies/USA in June.
The primary reason behind Rahul Dravid’s contract extension is India’s strong performance at the World Cup under their leadership. They did not win the tournament, losing in the final to Australia, but they did win 10 straight games in a never-before-seen exhibition of supremacy by any Indian team.
The Indian side under Rahul Dravid’s coaching has accomplished numerous historic accomplishments, winning the 2023 Asia Cup and playing excellent cricket, particularly in the ODI World Cup, and would be keen to win the 2024 T20 World Cup to end India’s ICC title drought.
