Kolkata: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced that Team India Director Ravi Shastri’s contract has ended after India’s semi-final exit in the ICC World Twenty20 2016. There is talk that Shastri might be offered a new role as coach of the team.
Shastri had handled the team very well with three assistant coaches in B Arun as bowling coach, R Sridhar (fielding coach) and Sanjay Bangar (batting coach). Ever since Duncan Fletcher’s contract as head coach was not renewed, that post has remained vacant.
When Shastri was asked before the semi-final match about his future plans with Team India, he avoided those questions and remarked that his focus was only on the match. It is understood that the BCCI is not keen on a foreign coach.
Shastri is hugely respected by the players and he also gets along well with the senior and junior players. This decision will be taken by the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) comprising Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and Sourav Ganguly.
Tendulkar considers Shastri as one of his mentors having guided him during his younger days.
So it is thought that Tendulkar will surely want Shastri to take up the role.
Ganguly, as well as Laxman, are well aware of Shastri’s thinking as well.
Hence the question will not be whether Shastri will be picked for the post - but perhaps it remains to be seen whether he will be keen to take up the position as head coach.
Shastri also enjoys his role as a commentator. In fact, right after the World Cup, Shastri will return as a commentator for the Indian Premier League (IPL) starting on April 9. Anurag Thakur, secretary of the BCCI, has stated that they are looking for a full-time coach.
“Since Ravi Shastri’s contract has ended, we are looking at a full-time coach, and the decision will be taken by the Cricket Advisory Committee. There won’t be a team director and a full-time coach. It will only be one post, and maybe Ravi’s contract could come up for renewal,” noted Thakur.
The Cricket Advisory Committee may meet any time before the start of the IPL to take a decision on this matter. Shastri was appointed as team director in 2014 after India lost to England 3-1 in a Test series, and since then has guided the team very well.
Legendary Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne has also expressed his willingness to coach Team India if required.
