Ravi Shastri tipped to continue as India’s head coach
Jonty Rhodes a frontrunner for fielding coach as other changes are also likely
Dubai: The Indian cricket board may have invited applications for all coaching posts in the senior national team, but head coach Ravi Shastri is heavily tipped to continue even after his extension period — until the end of West Indies tour.
The new Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), made up of Kapil Dev, Anshuman Gaekwad and Shanta Rangaswamy is understood to be in favour of Shastri continuing as coach.
Speaking to Gulf News during the World Cup in England, Dev had lauded Team India’s performance and said: “I was not expecting the team to dominate this way. There might have been up and downs in two matches but hats off to them. Cricket throughout was par excellence.”
Former Indian opener Gaekwad said on Friday that Shastri had done a good job.
Speaking to a Mumbai daily immediately after becoming a CAC member, Gaekwad said: “Speaking purely from the results perspective, he [Shastri] has done quite well. So besides Ravi, all other positions [in the coaching and support staff] in my opinion are open depending on who are applying, their credentials and whether they meet the criteria of the BCCI.”
The Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) chief Vinod Rai has said interviews for the coaches will take place on August 13 and 14, adding that Indian captain Virat Kohli will not have any input on the selection of the next coach.
This statement is to assure that, even if Shastri is re-appointed, it will not be due to Kohli’s backing — though it’s no secret that Kohli would want Shastri, with whom he has a good rapport, to continue.
Though Shastri may hold on to his position, it is very clear that batting coach Sanjay Bangar may not be considered for the post again.
He is being blamed for not being able to give shape to a stable middle order.
However, Bharat Arun may remain as bowling coach due to the work he did with Mohammad Shami and also Jasprit Bumrah during his term.
Though fielding coach R. Sridhar had worked hard on shaping fielders, his charges were not as outstanding as their New Zealand counterparts.
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South African fielding coach Jonty Rhodes, one of the best fielders in the modern game, has applied for the India post and is a strong candidate to win it too.
The best candidates for the physiotherapist, strength and conditioning coach and an administrative manager will also be picked by the committee.
New Zealand head coach Mike Hesson, former Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene as well as Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur have applied for the head coach’s post. It is understood that the CAC members have decided to talk to some of the leading Indian cricketers too before deciding on the coach’s post. The deadline for submitting the applications for the head coach and support staff is Tuesday (July 30).
Some of the BCCI officials, however, have pointed out that CoA has no powers to appoint any coaches and support staff members of the Indian cricket teams because as per the BCCI constitution, only the BCCI general body have the right to do it. Some members also pointed out that Kapil and Rangaswamy are directors of the newly formed Indian Cricketers’ Association (ICA) while Gaekwad is a member of the BCCI’s affiliation committee and hence the trio should fall under conflict of interest clause.
There is hence a threat that CoA’s decisions on coaches can be overruled in BCCI AGM, scheduled to be held on October 22 as of now.