Image Credit- BCCI
Following the South Africa tour, the Board of Control
for Cricket in India (BCCI) will determine how to proceed with negotiations for
a long-term extension of Rahul Dravid’s stint as head coach. The board granted
the current temporary extension till the Twenty20 World Cup in June, claiming
insufficient time to make an interim decision.
Dravid’s initial term ended on November 19, the day
the ODI World Cup ended. After the competition, the Indian squad left on
December 6 for a month-long, eight-game tour to South Africa. It has now been
said that a decision about Dravid’s and his coaching staff’s long-term
employment will be taken when they return next month.
“We did not have time. We met with them and
mutually agreed that he can continue. Once they return from South Africa, we
will sit with him and decide on the tenure,” BCCI secretary Jay Shah said
in Mumbai on Saturday.
Additionally, Shah made it clear that Rohit Sharma
cannot be guaranteed a spot in the Twenty20 team. Everyone firmly believes that
he ought to be selected for the ICC competition in the Caribbean and the US,
which takes place from June 3–30. According to certain media reports, the
skipper has reportedly asked for clarification over his position on the
Twenty20 team.
Since more than a year has passed since Rohit last
participated in a Twenty20 international competition, Suryakumar Yadav has been
named captain for the next three matches in South Africa, beginning on Sunday,
replacing Rohit in the team.
“The tournament (Twenty20 World Cup) starts in
June. There’s the IPL before that and the series against Afghanistan. We will
take a good decision,” the BCCI secretary said. Shah also provided an
update on Hardik Pandya’s fitness status. “He is being monitored on a
day-to-day basis. He’s at the NCA. He’s working hard. We will let you know in
due course. He can be fit even before the Afghanistan series,” he
revealed. Pandya has been out of action since October 19.