AB de Villiers to replace Rahul Dravid as India's Head Coach? South African legend has some wild ideas

Legendary South African cricketer AB de Villiers recently opened up about the possibility of becoming the head coach of the Indian cricket team. AB de Villiers expressed his interest in taking up coaching roles but clarified that he is not currently in contention for the role of Team India's head coach.

The current head coach, Rahul Dravid, is all set to part ways with India after the conclusion of the T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies and the USA. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has invited applications for the position of head coach as Dravid's tenure is set to conclude next month.

Several legendary cricketers, including Ricky Ponting and Stephen Fleming, have been considered for the head coach position for the Men in Blue. Ricky Ponting confirmed he was approached but declined the offer. Justin Langer and Andy Flower have also ruled themselves out of contention.

After the 2023 World Cup, Rahul Dravid received a short-term extension as India's head coach. Jay Shah, the BCCI secretary, stated that the board is now searching for a long-term head coach. The next head coach will be given a three-and-a-half-year contract for all formats until the 2027 ODI World Cup.

I Do Think I'll Enjoy Coaching - AB de Villiers

Speaking to News18 Cricketnext, AB de Villiers said that his experience could help both young and senior players. De Villiers stated that he is not currently considering coaching roles but might seek opportunities in the future. 

"I absolutely have no idea. I do think I’ll enjoy coaching. I think there are certain elements I won’t enjoy as much, which I will have to learn. With time, anything is possible and I can think on my feet and learn as I move on," De Villiers told News18.

"But I think there are elements of a coaching job that I’ll enjoy a lot. Things that I’ve learned over the years, the maturity that I’ve got now at the age of 40, looking back, a lot of things look a lot clearer when I look back at my career. So those kinds of learnings could be valuable for some younger players, even some senior players."

"And I would love to work with some players and some teams in that regard. As a full-time head coach, that’s not something that comes to mind as of yet. It’s not something that really appeals to me now. But as I said, never say never. Down the line, things might change," he added.

AB de Villiers retired from international cricket on May 23, 2018. The former South African skipper played in 114 Tests, 228 ODIs, and 78 T20Is, scoring more than 20,000 runs across all formats. The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) icon also played 184 matches in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

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