SHASTRI BACK IN RACE FOR HOT SEAT
Former team director emerges favourite for job
New Delhi, June 27: India’s former team director Ravi Shastri is set to apply for the vacant chief coach’s post of the cricket team after the BCCI decided to extend the deadline till July 9. “Yes, Ravi is very interested and will be applying for the coach’s post very soon,” a source close to Shastri said. It was learnt that if Shastri applies, he will first need an assurance that he will be given a full two-year contract till the 2019 World Cup. The former India captain will also make sure that he gets his own team of support staff, including bowling coach Bharath Arun, who had done a commendable job during his time with the team. Shastri, who was the team director from August 2014 to June 2016, was replaced by spin legend Anil Kumble, who recently stepped down due to his differences with skipper Virat Kohli. It must be noted that Shastri is Kohli’s preferred choice for the coach’s job as the two shared an excellent rapport. During Shastri’s tenure, India won limited overs series series away against England in 2014, reached the semi-finals of the World Cup and World T20 (2015 and 2016 respectively), won away Test series against Sri Lanka, home series against South Africa and T20 away series against Australia. However, Shastri does not share a great equation with former India captain and Cricket Advisory Committee member Sourav Ganguly. He had alleged last year that Ganguly was not present when he appeared for his interview via Skype.