Dravid to replace Kumble as head coach of India?

India head coach Anil Kumble is reportedly in line to be elevated as team’s director. The role has been vacant since Ravi Shastri’s contract as India’s team director ended after the semi-final loss against the West Indies in the World T20 last year.

According to reports in The New Indian Express, the ongoing four-match series against Australia is likely to be Kumble’s last as coach as discussions are taking place at a fast pace to make him the team director by April 14.

The former India spinner had met the Committee of Administrators (CoA) during the BCCI awards on Wednesday (March 8) after the conclusion of second Test. The Vinod Rai-led panel has entrusted Kumble with the job to file a comprehensive report on the senior, A side, junior as well as women’s teams. The assignment handed to Kumble is more or less similar to the roadmap put forth by the former leggie and India A coach Rahul Dravid last year.

The Indian cricket board, which is keen to implement structural changes as soon as possible, is contemplating the idea of introducing a structure similar to the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). Not only this, the BCCI is also looking to abolish the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), comprising of Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and Sourav Ganguly. The CAC’s last job was to appoint Kumble as coach last year. And now the board is keen to offer one of the members of the CAC the responsibility of handling cricket operations of all the BCCI teams if Kumble accepts the role of team director.

As quoted in the news outlet, a source from the board said: “We need to move ahead with the times and that is why these structural changes are looked at. If it happens, Indian cricket will benefit, as one person will handle all the teams and there will be better coordination between all concerned. The plan is already in place and there is a strong possibility that when new contracts are given out, these changes will be made.”

Reports also suggest Rahul Dravid can be given a crucial role with the senior side if Kumble accepts the director’s role and finds it tough to travel with the team.

“It is too early to say whether Kumble will take up the role or not. Being the coach and team director (with new responsibility) is no easy thing as it needs a lot of dedicated time. The amount of cricket we play might burn him out. If he doesn’t, we need the back-up as we can’t let the team getting affected, particularly with the Champions Trophy coming up,” the source concluded.

Source: Sportswiki