After conducting interviews on Friday, the three-member CAC (Kapil Dev, Anshuman Gaekwad, Shantha Rangaswamy) decided to reappoint Ravi Shastri as the head coach. Even India captain Virat Kohli had backed him before the team’s departure to the West Indies
Mumbai: The Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), headed by former India all-rounder Kapil Dev, on Friday (August 16) decided to reappoint Ravi Shastri as Team India’s head coach after interviewing five candidates for the job. Shastri will be India's coach till the 2021 T20 World Cup in India.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had shortlisted six candidates for the head coach’s position. However, West Indian Phil Simmons pulled out at the last minute leaving Shastri, Robin Singh, Lalchand Rajput, Tom Moody and Mike Hesson in the fray.
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After conducting interviews on Friday, the three-member CAC (Kapil, Anshuman Gaekwad, Shantha Rangaswamy) decided to reappoint Shastri. Even India captain Virat Kohli had backed him before the team’s departure to the West Indies. All three CAC members addressed the media at a press conference and Kapil announced that Shastri will continue.
"We already decided. The system was very simple. After the meeting of four to six hours, all three of us had our own markings. Neither of us consulted each other. We all unanimously decided after doing all the accounts and number. No. 3 (Tom) Moody. No. 2 Mike (Hesson). No. 1 is Ravi Shastri, which you all were expecting," Kapil said.
The CAC reappoints Mr Ravi Shastri as the Head Coach of the Indian Cricket Team. pic.twitter.com/vLqgkyj7I2
— BCCI (@BCCI)"Well, the CAC (Cricket Advisory Committee headed by Kapil Dev) has not contacted me on this. But all of us share a great camaraderie with Ravi bhai and would definitely be very happy if he continues. But as I had said, it's on the CAC to decide (how to go about it)," Kohli had said.
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The BCCI had invited applications to fill the posts of head coach, batting coach, bowling coach, fielding coach, physiotherapist, strength and conditioning coach as well as an administrative manager.
Kapil made it clear that the CAC did not consult Kohli on the coach's appointment.
"The CAC interviewed five candidates and evaluated them on the basis of the following parameters: 1) Coaching philosophy, 2) Experience of coaching, 3) Coaching achievements, 4) Communication, 5) Knowledge of modern coaching tools," BCCI said in a media advisory.
"The five candidates were provided rating points out of 100 and the CAC further shortlisted three candidates in order of priority, which is as follows: 1) Mr Ravi Shastri, 2) Mr Mike Hesson, 3) Mr Tom Moody," it added.
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The current coaching staff were given a 45-day extension as the Kohli-led team headed to the Caribbean islands to play T20Is, ODIs and Tests in August and September. The contracts had ended with the ICC World Cup 2019 in England and Wales.
For the head coach position, the BCCI had shortlisted six candidates. However, Shastri had received automatic entry just like his colleagues Sanjay Bangar (batting coach), Bharat Arun (bowling coach) and R Sridhar (fielding coach).
Shastri's record since his comeback in 2017 has been very impressive, having guided the team to its maiden Test series win on Australian soil last year. He was earlier Team India’s director. He returned after Anil Kumble’s contract ended in June 2017.
In 21 Tests since July 2017, under Shastri, India won 13 of them with a victory percentage of 52.38. It's even better in T20Is with 25 wins from 36 games with a win percentage of 69.44. The ODI record takes the cake with 43 wins in 60 games and a success rate of 71.67.
The only blip could be the fact that in 2015 World Cup in Australia (when he was Team Director) and the last edition in UK, the team couldn't go beyond the semi-finals.
But the complete domination in the Caribbean, in both T20s and ODIs, indicates that he has been doing most of the things correctly.
The other support staff will be appointed by the MSK Prasad-led senior selection committee.
(With inputs from PTI)
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