Head coach hopeful Langer bows out: Rahul's 'pressure bomb' deters him

Former Australian batsman Justin Langer has taken himself out of contention for the head coach position of the Indian cricket team.

The role, currently held by Rahul Dravid, is expected to be open after the upcoming T20 World Cup.

Langer, who served as coach of the Australian team for four years, acknowledged the demanding nature of the job. He also revealed a conversation with KL Rahul, captain of the Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2024, that influenced his decision.

According to Langer, Rahul painted a picture of immense pressure and political complexities surrounding the Indian head coach position. Rahul reportedly suggested the intensity is ‘a thousand times’ greater than that experienced by an IPL coach.

‘I was talking to KL Rahul and he said, 'You know, if you think there's pressure and politics in an IPL team, multiply that by a thousand, (that's) coaching India. That was a good bit of advice, I guess,’ Langer said during his interaction on BBC Stumped.

Langer's withdrawal follows similar hesitance from his former teammate Ricky Ponting. Ponting, while expressing interest in national coaching roles in general, finds the time commitment and restrictions on IPL involvement incompatible with his current lifestyle.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is now tasked with finding a new head coach for the Indian team.

With both Langer and Ponting opting out, the search widens for a candidate who can handle the demanding role and lead India to future cricketing success.