Five possible candidates to replace Rahul Dravid as India cricket coach

Indian cricket has started its search for the next national team coach with Rahul Dravid’s tenure coming to an end following the T20 World Cup in June.

Dravid was handed a short-term extension when his two-year contract expired after India's defeat to Australia in the ODI World Cup final last November. The former India captain is said to not be interested in re-applying for the position.

That loss extended India’s trophy drought to over a decade, with their last major success being the 2013 Champions Trophy.

Now, the Indian cricket board wants to hire a coach for a longer duration – until the end of 2027. However, the pool of likely candidates is small as the coach will be expected to manage all three formats, which would mean being on the road for most of the year with some breaks in between.

Here we take a look at five potential candidates to replace Dravid as India coach.

The most obvious choice, on paper, is the former India middle order batsman who currently heads the National Cricket Academy. Laxman has also dabbled with coaching the national team in the absence of Dravid.

However, according to reports, it could be difficult to get Laxman on board as he is apparently not too keen to take up the job that is set to last three years and involve all formats. The players are fairly familiar with his style, though, so would be a safe choice who simply keeps the ball rolling.

The Chennai Super Kings coach has emerged as a prominent name in the race to be the next coach. Fleming’s record as a cricketer and coach is exemplary and the New Zealander knows Indian cricket inside out, having successfully guided Chennai Super Kings to multiple titles.

His calm demeanour, proven man-management skills and top-tier technical