Rahul Dravid can become a coach again, The Wall’s name is at the forefront of the race, suddenly the whole equation changed

New Delhi. Rahul Dravid can become the next coach of the England Test team. Dravid’s name has come up after Brendon McCullum was removed from the post of Test coach. Recently, after the 1-2 defeat against New Zealand at home, the England and Wales Cricket Board decided to sack McCullum. Along with Dravid, two other veterans are also in the race for coach.

According to a report in the British newspaper Daily Telegraph, the England Cricket Board has shortlisted some selected names as alternatives to McCullum, in which the name of Rahul Dravid is prominently included. Apart from Dravid, the names of former England coach Andy Flower and former English spinner Richard Dawson are also leading in the race. After the defeat against New Zealand, McCullum’s four-year journey with the England Test team ended. The ECB believes that this is the right time to make changes in the team before the prestigious Ashes series to be held next year. However, McCullum will remain the head coach of England’s limited overs (ODI and T20) team.

McCullum’s journey, lion at home, pile on abroad
During Brendon McCullum’s four-year tenure, England played a total of 49 Test matches, out of which the team won 27 and lost 20. During this period, England’s performance was excellent on home grounds, where they won 18 out of 28 matches. But the team’s performance on foreign pitches was very disappointing. Of the 21 Test matches played abroad, England won only 9, while they suffered embarrassing series defeats on the tours of India (2023-24) and Pakistan (2024-25). Due to this poor performance, ultimately the board had to take a tough decision.

Why is ECB keeping an eye on Dravid?
53-year-old Rahul Dravid is counted among the most intelligent and strategically strong coaches in the world. Under his guidance, the Indian team won the 2024 T20 World Cup title and reached the final of the 2023 World Test Championship (WTC). Due to Dravid’s precise coaching style, discipline and deep understanding of red-ball (Test) cricket, the England Board is considering him most suitable for this post.

Will Dravid take command?
According to the report, Rahul Dravid has no special desire to return to full-time coaching again. However, the post of England Test coach could be a great option for him, as it will give him a longer time to spend at home and will also get a chance to contribute to keeping his favorite format (Test cricket) alive. The report says that England must gauge Dravid’s wishes and interest at least once.

Other veteran contenders in the race
Apart from Dravid, many other big names are also involved in the race for the post of England’s head coach. Former Zimbabwe legend and former England coach Andy Flower is one of the strongest contenders in this race. During his previous tenure, England had won the Ashes series three times and achieved the number-1 position in the ICC Test rankings. Apart from this, Flower also has an excellent record in franchise cricket, where recently he has led Royal Challengers Bangalore to two consecutive IPL titles.

Dawson, the current head coach of Glamorgan, is known for his excellent strategic acumen and coaching skills in county cricket, due to which he is also being considered a serious contender. The shortlist also includes the names of great Sri Lankan batsman Kumar Sangakkara, England Lions coach Andrew Flintoff, Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson and former Australia coach Justin Langer.