Rahul Dravid politely turns down BCCI's offer to succeed Ravi Shastri as Team India coach: Reports

Many believe Rahul Dravid, India's former captain, is the ideal candidate to replace Ravi Shastri as Team India's head coach, as the latter's tenure is coming to an end post the T20 World Cup 2021. For the unversed, Shastri has already hinted at not being willing to extendhis contract despite having a very successful tenure.

As per reports, in CricTracker, Dravid has now politely turned down BCCI's offer to succeed Shastri as India's head coach. Dravid was India's stand-in coach during their limited-overs tour of Sri Lanka early this year, when Shastri-Virat Kohli & Co. were in England and Wales for the five Tests versus Joe Root & Co. Under Dravid, Shikhar Dhawan-led second-stringed Indian team won the three ODIs (2-1) versus Sri Lanka before losing the three T20Is, by the same margin, after missing plenty of players due to the Covid-crisis in the Indian camp.

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However, if reports are to be believed, Dravid isn't keen on taking over as Indian team's coach at present. He is currently the head of the National Cricket Academy (NCA), in Bengaluru, and has impressed one and all in nurturing young talents, consolidating India's bench strength and ensuringa constant supply of players at the international level.

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Not only Shastri, but bowling coach Bharat Arun and fielding coach R Sridhar's terms are also coming to an end post the T20 WC. Thus, It is understoodthat the Sourav Ganguly-led BCCI -- as per the terms laid out under its constitution --will now officially advertise for the post of India’s head coach closer to the end of tenure of the current staff.

Talking about Shastri, he took over as the head coach -- after Anil Kumble -- in mid-2017. Under him, India beat Australia twice in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy Down Under, reached the semi-finals of the 2019 ODI World Cup and ended as runners-up in the inaugural ICC World Test Championship (WTC).