Former India captain and head coach Rahul Dravid is in the race to succeed Brendon McCullum as England’s Test after the former New Zealand cricketer was sacked by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), following the team’s poor run in red-ball cricket.
As reported by The Telegraph, Dravid is one of the contenders in the list of potential candidates, also featuring former England coach Andy Flower and former England spinner Richard Dawson.
McCullum’s four-year stint as Test coach came to an end after England’s 1-2 home series loss to New Zealand, with the ECB taking a call that “the time is right to make a change” ahead of next year’s Ashes.
However, McCullum will remain in charge of the ODI and T20I sides.
The 53-year-old, who guided India to the 2024 T20 World Cup title and the 2023 World Test Championship and the 2023 50-over World Cup finals, is seen as an ideal candidate because of his “meticulous” approach and deep understanding of the game.
However, the report in The Daily Telegraph said that Dravid has “no desire” to coach full-time.
“Dravid has no desire to coach full-time, but the England Test job would allow him extended periods at home and the chance to help keep alive his favourite format of the game. England, at the very least, should gauge his interest,” according to the report.
Former Zimbabwe captain Andy Flower is one of the frontrunners for the role. Flower is regarded as England’s most successful coach in the modern era, having guided the team to three Ashes series wins and the No. 1 spot in the Test rankings.
He has also built an impressive coaching record in franchise cricket, including back-to-back IPL titles with Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Glamorgan head coach Richard Dawson is another strong contender. He has earned praise for his tactical approach and coaching work at both county and international level.
According to the report, other candidates being considered include Sri Lanka great Kumar Sangakkara, England Lions coach Andrew Flintoff, Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson and former Australia coach Justin Langer.
