Virat’s ‘choice’ Shastri pips Viru, Moody to return as coach
After much drama, Ravi Shastri was appointed the India head coach, pipping Virender Sehwag and Tom Moody to the post. Shastri’s appointment ends a roller-coaster journey in which the dressing room endured a turbulent times with reports of friction between skipper Virat Kohli and coach Anil Kumble.
The decision to name the coach was scheduled to take place on Monday but the Cricket Advisory Committee of Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman and Sachin Tendulkar deferred the decision stating they wanted to consult Kohli first.
But, Vinod Rai, head of the Committee of Administrators (COA), made it clear that the decision on had to be taken on Tuesday. There was drama while naming the coach. Media reports in the evening named Shastri as coach but Amitabh Choudhary, the acting secretary of the BCCI, said no decision had been made.
However, by night, the BCCI confirmed Shastri’s appointment, with Zaheer Khan as the bowling coach. Rahul Dravid was named batting consultant for overseas Test tours.
For Shastri, this is his third stint with the Indian team. In 2007, following India’s disastrous World Cup campaign, Shastri was appointed manager for the tour to Bangladesh. Following the series, Shastri was appointed head of the National Cricket Academy in 2008.
In 2014, Shastri was once again called upon to head the team. India had lost the Test series against England 3-1 and there were questions on coach Duncan Fletcher’s ability.
The BCCI appointed Shastri as Team Director and his second innings was a lot more fruitful. India won the ODI series against England, secured a Test series win in Sri Lanka for the first time in 22 years. India reached the semi-finals of the 2015 World Cup and the 2016 World T20.
Following the World T20, Shastri’s tenure was not extended and Kumble was appointed coach.
As a player, Shastri was one of the pillars of the Indian team in the 80s and early 90s. He typified the Mumbai school of grit, starting out as a lower order batsman but going on to open the batting and also supplement it with slow left-arm orthodox bowling.
His all-round show (182 runs at an average of 45.5 and eight wickets) helped Shastri win the Champion of Champions title at the 1985 Benson & Hedges World Championship that India won beating Pakistan in the final. In Tests, he is best remembered for an epic knock of 206, which he scored against Australia in Sydney in 1992.