Former Captain and team Director Ravi Shastri formally applied for the post of Head Coach of Indian Cricket Team on Monday. Earlier, Moody and Sehwag were only credible candidates standing in the race but now Sashtri’s entry could queer the pitch for them. Shashtri enjoys a great rappot with Indian team players. The interviews for the Head Coach post will be conducted on july 10.
Anil Kumble’s Resignation
Virat Kohli’s differences with coach Anil Kumble were no secret. After the massive defeat of India against Pakistan in the finals of Champions Trophy on June 18, the rift became more intense. Amid all turbulence, Anil Kumble respectfully vacated the post of the Indian Cricket Team’s Coach.
Anil Kumble’s innings as the coach of the Indian cricket team may have been a short story, but was without a doubt a successful one. During his tenure as the coach, India won 12 of the 17 Test matches played, losing only one and drawing four. He was appointed as the head coach of the Indian team in June 2016 and stepped down on June 20, 2017. Kumble resigned apparently by saying that his “partnership with the captain was untenable”.
Ravi Shastri- The Hot Favourite
Ravi Shastri is the forerunner in the race to become the head coach of Indian team. His proximity with skipper Kohli is believed to be one of the reasons. As per reports, Ravi Shastri is not the captain’s preference alone. Other members of the Indian Cricket Team also have a strong inclination towards Shastri and share an amiable bond.
It may be noted here that Ravi Shastri has served as the director of the Indian cricket team for a period of two yeears from 2014 to 2016. Under his guidance, the team could reach the semi-final of the 2015 World Cup and 2016 T20I World Cup. Ravi Shastri had shown his interest in heading the team in 2016 too, but Anil Kumble became the committee’s choice.
Sunil Gavaskar’s take on Shastri
Sunil Gavaskar feels Shastri is the “top contender for the coveted job”. In an interview, the legendary Indian cricketer said, “Ravi Shastri is the front-runner to be India’s coach.” He mentioned that Ravi Shastri has backed the team under all circumstances. Gavaskar believes that the boys in the team will perform better under a more personal and emotional approach. Shastri and the players share a common wavelength. He also said that Ravi Shastri is like a big brother to all the players in the team and they shall certainly perform better under his comfortable guidance.
Other Players in the Race
As soon as The Cricket Advisory Committee opened its gates for the lucrative post, a number of applications flew in including those of former mega cricket stars of Indian team and ex-coaches of other teams. Here’s an insight to the list of applicants-
Former Indian cricketer and former Director for the Indian cricket team, Ravi Shastri
Former Indian opener, Virender Sehwag
Former Indian batsman, Lalchand Raiput
Former Indian batsman, Dodda Ganesh
Ex Sri Lanka coach and current Sunrisers Hyderabad’s coach, Tom Moody
Ex Pakistan coach (Twice), Richard Pybus and
Ex-West Indies coach Phil Simmons
Majorly, the above have applied for the post vacated by Anil Kumble last month where Ravi Shastri is sprinting ahead.
Appointment of the New Coach
The selection interview for the next Indian Cricket coach will be held on July 10 in Mumbai.
The appointment needs careful consideration of all aspects of the post and all aspirants willing to take the job as the next contract is likely to run until the 2019 World Cup. Therefore the decision has to be made considering the length of the contract. The CAC (Cricket Advisory Committee) has asserted that neither Indian captain Virat Kohli nor BCCI would interfere in the selection procedure.
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