On 11th July 2017, Ravi Shastri was decided as India’s next head coach after Anil Kumble decided to resign after the Champions Trophy 2017. Sourav Ganguly said in consultation with Cricket Advisory consisting of greats like Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman also captain Virat Kohli, we have decided the best possible coach.
“We picked the best person we thought. In consultation with Virat, we picked the best person,” Ganguly told The Indian Express on Wednesday. Asked about the reported difference of opinion among the Committee members, he said: “No, no. It was unanimous.”
Zaheer Khan was named as the bowling coach and Rahul Dravid as the batting coach on overseas tours. Ravi Shastri was not supposed to be in the list but applied after BCCI extended the deadline to 9th July.
Five people were interviewed on Monday; the Cricket Advisory Committee said that we want to speak with Virat Kohli about the matter. “We want to speak to Virat Kohli once he is back from America, all three of us along with the respective people concerned. We will explain to him that the coaches want to function in a certain way and make sure that everybody is on the same page before we make the announcement, because once we make the announcement it has to be till the (2019) World Cup,” Ganguly had said.
It will be the second term for Ravi Shastri with team India. He was the team director from 2014-2016. With the Indian team to tour foreign tours like Sri Lanka, England, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand in the next 1 or 2 years and World Cup 2019 to be held in England, this Indian current test team can win anywhere in the world.
After becoming the coach of the Indian team Shastri said“It can be a better Test team than any Indian team we have had. This is a team you can travel with (anywhere). There is a battery of pacers which can do well in all conditions and take 20 wickets. Their age is such that they are playing at the right time,” Shastri told ‘India Today’ from London.
The first choice for Virat Kohli was Ravi Shastri as his rapport with the former all-rounder is good. There was lots of difference between Virat Kohli and Anil Kumble who were not on the same page.
