Salman Butt And Brag Hogg Support Rahul Dravid's Decision To Reapply For NCA Head
Published - 20 Aug 2021, 06:58 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:51 AM
Former Pakistani cricketer Salman Butt and former Australian player Brad Hogg have backed Rahul Dravid‘s decision to reapply for the post of Head of Cricket for National Cricket Academy (NCA).
The former Indian cricketer has applied for the post after his two-year contract came to an end. BCCI has invited fresh applications for the post of NCA head as they do not have a provision to extend the contract with Rahul Dravid.
So far, Rahul Dravid is the only applicant to file his name for the post. Dravid recently assisted a second-string Indian team to a tour in Sri Lanka, where the team bagged victory in the ODI series 2-1 but lost the T20I series 1-2.
Since India’s current head coach Ravi Shastri is set to retire from the post after the forthcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2021, Dravid has been seen as a likely replacement for the position.
Rahul Dravid Is Supplying Players To Indian Cricket As NCA Head: Salman Butt
Speaking on his YouTube channel, former Pakistan skipper Salman Butt backed the former Indian cricketer Rahul Dravid to reapply for the post of NCA coach. According to Butt, Rahul Dravid is supplying players to Indian cricket as NCA head.
“By working with the NCA, Dravid is not serving only junior Indian cricket. He recently took a team to Sri Lanka and they won a series (ODIs) over there. He is preparing ready material and sending it to the Indian team. I would say he is heading an industry that is supplying players to Indian cricket. What more than that do you want?” Salman Butt said.
Former Aussie spinner Brad Hogg has also supported Dravid’s decision, asserting that the NCA head’s post is probably a more important role than India’s head coach.
“The NCA coach is an important role for the growth and transition of upcoming players for international cricket. Probably a more important role that the Indian head coach. Countries with strong academies generally top the ICC ladders. Dravid must stay in that role. #cricket,” Brad Hogg tweeted.
Rahul Dravid is highly likely to be reappointed to the post of NCA head coach. BCCI had to extend the deadline for filing applications as Dravid is the only person to file his name for the post. During India’s tour of Sri Lanka 2021 in July, the Indian team under coach defeated Sri Lanka 2-1 in the ODI series.
However, the Shikhar Dhawan-led side lost to the hosts in the T20I series 1-2, after 9 Indian crucial players were ousted from the final two games due to the Covid-19 attack in the Indian contingent. Indian all-rounder Krunal Pandya was tested positive for Covid and 8 other players were sent into strict isolation.
