Top 3 reasons why Rahul Dravid's departure as head coach could hurt India

India dominated the ODI World Cup 2023 by winning 10 consecutive matches before losing the most important ODI World Cup final to Australia. The loss broke the heart of millions of Indian cricket fans across the country. With this, India’s head coach Rahul Dravid's coaching tenure of 2-year contract ended with the World Cup.

Though there has been no official confirmation, but according to reports, Rahul Dravid is no longer interested in continuing as the coach of the Indian team and his contract won’t be renewed any further. 

India’s legendary batter and former captain’s career as a coach has been full of ups and downs. At one end we have seen the highs of a dominant performance in the ODI World Cup 2023 and winning the Asia Cup 2023. 

On the other hand under his coaching tenure, we have lost one T20 World Cup, one Asia Cup in 2022, away test series in South Africa, and the decider test match in Edgbaston at England which deprived us of winning a Test series in England after 15 years. But if we look at the bigger picture then Rahul Dravid's farewell as a coach could backfire on India in the near future. Let’s understand why:

1. Dominant ODI World Cup performance

India, led by captain Rohit Sharma, exhibited unparalleled dominance throughout the 2023 World Cup until the finals, consistently outplaying their opponents through strategic planning and flawless execution on the field.

Even on the rare occasion when they had setbacks, such as the injury to Hardik Pandya, the head coach Rahul Dravid remained calm and composed, adhering to the team's well-defined game play which showed his meticulous planning as a tactical genius.

2. Share a good repo with the young players

Given that the next T20 World Cup is just 6 months away removing the present coach might not be a practical decision for the team. Coach Dravid has had a good time with the new crop of players in the NCA and India A setup. He has an intimate understanding of each player's strengths and weaknesses. A new coach would need to start from scratch to establish rapport with the team and ensure clear communication, coordination, and alignment regarding player roles and team goals.

3. Hamper smooth transition

"As a coach, Dravid's aspirations for the team may remain unrealized as he departs from the squad. With the upcoming India tour of South Africa in the World Test Championship cycle, the team, currently is undergoing a transition phase, and they would have greatly benefited from Dravid's presence in the dressing room.

With the induction of new players in the test and T20 side before the important test series and T20 World Cup, the presence of an experienced coach like Dravid, who has spent ample time with the team, would have facilitated the transition process in Indian Test and T20 team.