3 Former Cricketers Who Can Be India’s Next Head Coach – India suffered another heart-breaking loss in an ICC knockout match, and this one will hurt even more: over 120.000 fans had thronged into the gigantic Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad to see Rohit Sharma and Team India lift the World Cup 2023 trophy.
However, an old nemesis came in India’s way: Australia. The party of the hosts, the undefeated team in the tournament was spoiled by Pat Cummins’ side who were as clinical as any team could have been in a World Cup final.
This also marks the end of the contract for head coach Rahul Dravid. Dravid denied commenting much on whether he will extend his contract or not. For now, Dravid and the rest of the Indian World Cup squad players will be given a rest as a second-string side will host Australia in a 5-T20I series starting later this week with VVS Laxman taking over the interim coach duties.
3 former cricketers who can be India’s next head coach:
VVS Laxman
If Rahul Dravid doesn’t extends his contract, then, at the moment, VVS Laxman is looking the likeliest candidate to replace Dravid. Laxman has been heading the NCA in Bangalore and overseeing the A teams and the under-19 team since the last two years, a role Dravid was performing before becoming India’s coach.
Laxman has worked as interim head coach a couple of times when Dravid had been rested. Under VVS Laxman, the under-19 team won the World Cup last year, India recorded a series win in Ireland, and won the Gold Medal in Asian Games earlier this year in China.
The youngsters have worked with Laxman at the NCA and in the A teams, so he wouldn’t be a completely new face either.
Andy Flower
The best way now for India to heal the scars of their fans and their ICC title drought is to win next year’s T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA. And perhaps there is no better coach than to rope in Andy Flower, who is a serial T20 tournament winner.
Flower has recently joined as RCB’s head coach, and his resume is unmatchable. Flower coached England to the 2010 T20 World Cup win; he has coached teams to titles at the PSL (Multan Sultans), ILT20 (Gulf Giants), and the men’s Hundred (Trent Rockets). With Flower in charge, St Lucia Kings reached the CPL final twice, and Lucknow Super Giants made it to the playoffs two seasons in a row.
Andy Flower is heavily respected in the T20 circuit for his understanding of the game and making match-winning tactical decisions.
Gautam Gambhir
As it was learned once again, India lack the men who could step up at the biggest stages of all: World Cup knockouts. Despite looking flawless heading into the final, India lost by 7 wickets and 7 overs to spare, after finishing at an under-par score of 240.
If there is one man in the country who performed when the pressure was the highest, it is Gautam Gambhir, India’s top-scorer in the finals of the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 World Cup.
What Gambhir as a coach and mentor brings to the table is bold decision-making and the calmness to keep a dressing room relaxed ahead of big games. As someone who calls a spade a spade, Gambhir also would protect his players from the outside noise and not shy away from speaking cold hard truths in the dressing room, something a foreign coach might refrain from doing to preserve his image.
