NEW DELHI: With the deadline for applications for the head coach of the Indian men's cricket team approaching on May 27, speculation is rife as to who will replace Rahul Dravid. BCCI secretary-general Jay Shah has suggested the new head coach is likely to be an Indian, with Gautam Gambhir reportedly the front-runner. However, Virat Kohli's childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma has hinted at the idea of MS Dhoni being the replacement.
The Dronacharya Award-winning coach told IndiaNews that he is of the view that Dhoni is an ideal candidate.
“Firstly, it will be interesting to see what names apply for the post. I want the coach to be an Indian. If Mahendra Singh Dhoni announces his retirement, he will be a good option. He (Dhoni) has played a lot of cricket and won big tournaments,” Sharma said.
Though Dhoni has not officially announced his retirement from the IPL, his future remains unclear. It was rumoured that IPL 2024 would be his last season, but the Chennai Super Kings legend is living up to everyone's expectations. CSK CEO Kasi Viswanath has even said that he is hopeful that Dhoni will return for one more season.
Sharma highlighted Dhoni's potential impact as a coach, citing his experience and the respect he commands within the team.
“Dhoni will get more respect in the dressing room and he has been playing in this format for a long time. The most important thing for a team is to be able to plan for the team and manage it properly because when Dhoni became captain, the team had big names like Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumbru, Gautam Gambhir and Yuvraj Singh. Despite that, Dhoni managed the team brilliantly,” Sharma added.
Dhoni had previously coached the Indian team during the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE where he displayed his potential as a leader in the team. With Dravid's contract ending after the end of this year's T20 World Cup, the appointment of a replacement is highly anticipated.
Gambhir, who recently coached Kolkata Knight Riders to their third IPL title, is seen as a leading contender for the head coaching post, with his success with KKR and experience as a former India international making him an attractive option.
The Dronacharya Award-winning coach told IndiaNews that he is of the view that Dhoni is an ideal candidate.
“Firstly, it will be interesting to see what names apply for the post. I want the coach to be an Indian. If Mahendra Singh Dhoni announces his retirement, he will be a good option. He (Dhoni) has played a lot of cricket and won big tournaments,” Sharma said.
Though Dhoni has not officially announced his retirement from the IPL, his future remains unclear. It was rumoured that IPL 2024 would be his last season, but the Chennai Super Kings legend is living up to everyone's expectations. CSK CEO Kasi Viswanath has even said that he is hopeful that Dhoni will return for one more season.
Sharma highlighted Dhoni's potential impact as a coach, citing his experience and the respect he commands within the team.
“Dhoni will get more respect in the dressing room and he has been playing in this format for a long time. The most important thing for a team is to be able to plan for the team and manage it properly because when Dhoni became captain, the team had big names like Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumbru, Gautam Gambhir and Yuvraj Singh. Despite that, Dhoni managed the team brilliantly,” Sharma added.
Dhoni had previously coached the Indian team during the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE where he displayed his potential as a leader in the team. With Dravid's contract ending after the end of this year's T20 World Cup, the appointment of a replacement is highly anticipated.
Gambhir, who recently coached Kolkata Knight Riders to their third IPL title, is seen as a leading contender for the head coaching post, with his success with KKR and experience as a former India international making him an attractive option.
