After selecting team India’s head coach, Rahul Dravid as batting consultant for overseas tour and Zaheer Khan as the bowling consultant, the Cricket Advisory Committee Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman expressed their disappointment and pain on Thursday this after the CAC was given the impression that they had forced Rahul Dravid and Zaheer Khan on head coach.
The three legends of Indian cricket reminded Rai of an e-mail where he had apparently given them a free-hand in picking the coach of the Indian cricket team. The trio reminded Rai of this email only after it was made to look as if the CAC had gone beyond its brief in appointing Dravid and Zaheer as consultants when they were to select only the head coach. Meanwhile, it is also believed that Ravi Shastri wants Bharat Arun as the bowling coach for the Indian team.
On the 11th July, Ravi Shastri was appointed as the head coach of the Indian team in consultation with captain Virat Kohli and Cricket Advisory Committee. On Thursday, the CAC wrote a strongly headed letter to COA chief Vinod Rai about Ravi Shastri falsehood that he was not happy with Rahul Dravid and Zaheer Khan.
“We spoke to Mr. Shastri about getting Mr. Khan and Mr. Dravid on board in these capacities, and he readily agreed to the idea of having them in the set-up so that it would benefit the team and Indian cricket as a whole in time to come. It was only after getting Mr. Shastri”s consent that we also recommended Mr. Khan and Mr Dravid, in their respective capacities,” the letter read.
All three members of the committee sent an email to Rai that the CAC committee is free to pick the coach of the Indian Cricket team.
“There have been suggestions that the CAC has exceeded its ambit in going with Mr. Khan and Mr Dravid and these two legends of Indian cricket has been foisted on the head coach. Also, we did inform you (Rai) over the phone along with Rahul Johri and Amitabh Choudhary of all that transpired immediately after the meeting was over.”
The Indian team has been without a coach since the West Indies series. Anil Kumble resigned after not so good relationship with Captain Virat Kohli. Now with Ravi Shastri selected as the coach of the Indian he wants his own support staff.
“The three of us played our cricket with great integrity, and we have brought that same trait in fulfilling this important responsibility bestowed upon us by the BCCI. While
we are not looking for plaudits, we do not appreciate the tone and the falsehoods of the narratives.”
