India Tour Of South Africa 2023-24: Why BCCI Is Readying Travel Arrangements For Two Different Coaching Staff?

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Team India is currently without a permanent head coach after Rahul Dravid's team tenure ended on November 19 following the ICC World Cup 2023 final, which ended in a heartbreaking loss to Australia.

While several names have applied for the post, VVS Laxman has been asked to serve in the role on the interim basis during the ongoing five-match T20I home series against Australia.

Just a week after the T20 series vs Australia concludes on Sunday (December 3), Team India are scheduled to play six white ball games in South Africa. And BCCI have been busy making travel arrangements for the same without clarity on which support staff will travel with the team.

There were suggestions that Team India may also take the route of different coaches for different formats like how England and South Africa have followed for a while now.

According to reports, Ashish Nehra, who is currently the Gujarat Titans coach, has declined the offer to become the national team head coach in the T20I format, while Laxman prefers to be in the National Cricket Academy (NCA), where he currently serves as the director.

The report also adds that Dravid's coaching team that includes Vikram Rathour and Paras Mhambrey have also been offered extensions till the 2024 T20 World Cup, but they are yet to respond to the offer.

Why BCCI has booked two tickets and applied for two visas for coaching staff for India tour of South Africa?

With cloud over, who will be the head coach, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly made two travel arrangements - one for Dravid's team and another for Laxman's team.

BCCI has readied travel arrangements for both Dravid and Laxman's team just to be prepared for any eventuality as the former coach Dravid is yet to respond to the offer.

Laxman, who is keen on the NCA role, is open to providing cover when required. And with the T20 team scheduled to fly to South Africa on December 6, Laxman and Co may continue in the role until BCCI get a clarity on the next head coach.

India will be playing three T20Is in South Africa on December 10, 12, and 14 followed by three ODIs on December 17, 19 and 21 before the two-match Test series, which starts on Boxing Day (December 26).

Team India, who will be announcing the squads for all the three formats, will hope to have clarity on the coaching front at least before the red ball matches later in December, giving Dravid some more time to think.

It was earlier believed that Dravid does not want to extend his contract as he too was keen on returning to the NCA, where he served as the director before taking over head coach role in 2021 from Ravi Shastri.

As Laxman's team have been in charge of tours which Dravid opted to rest, here we take a look at the two coaching staff from batting coach, fielding coach and the bowling coaches:

Dravid's Team India Support Staff

• Head Coach: Rahul Dravid
• Batting Coach: Vikram Rathour
• Bolwing Coach: Paras Mhambrey
• Fielding Coach: T Dilip

Laxman's Team India Support Staff

• Head Coach: VVS Laxman
• Bowling Coach: Sairaj Bahutule
• Fielding Coach: Munish Bali