The former India batsman Virender Sehwag on Friday revealed that he missed out on the India teams head coach’s post because he had no backing from the Board of Cricket Control of India (BCCI) and mentioned that he will not apply for the post again.
Sehwag also took a sly at the India team skipper Virat Kohli who told him to apply for the role of head coach. It was widely reported that Shastri had the backing from Kohli and was the main reason to be chosen as the head coach of Team India after Anil Kumble resigned from the post after a fallout with the skipper.
Prior to Kumble’s tenure, Shastri was with the Indian team as the team director. It was not an anonymous decision as former India captain Sourav Ganguly who is currently a member of the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) was strongly against the decision of choosing Shastri as the head coach but Kohli got the nod ahead.
Sehwag in a chat show with India TV revealed, “Dekhiye main coach isliye nahi ban paaya kyonki jo bhi coach chun rahe the unse mera koi setting nahin tha. (Look I couldn”t become the (India) coach because I didn”t have any setting (common slang for hobnobbing with decision-makers) with those who were in power of appointing the coach).”
The cricketer from Delhi also mentioned that during a conversation with Ravi Shastri during the Champions Trophy in England, the left-arm spinner has told him earlier that he will not apply for the post as he didn’t want to commit the same mistake again which insisted Sehwag to go forward with the application process.
“I never thought of coaching the Indian cricket team. I was given the offer… BCCI secretary Amitabh Choudhury and MV Sridhar came to me and requested me to think on the offer. I took my time and then applied for the position,” Sehwag said, adding that he should help them since those board officials are requesting him.
The fearless opening batsman also revealed about the chat he had with the men in blue captain before applying. “I also had a word with Virat Kohli, he asked me to go for it. It was only then that I applied. If you ask for my opinion, I would say that I was never interested,” the cricketer signed off.
