Sehwag, Shastri, Moody Front-Runners To Become India Coach

The Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), comprising Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman, has reportedly narrowed down the candidates for the Team India head coach post to three applicants.

The BCCI, after making it clear that Anil Kumble would not get a contract extension, had invited application for the head coach’s post in May and had shortlisted five candidates – Virender Sehwag, Tom Moody, Dodda Ganesh, Richard Pybus and Lalchand Rajput while Kumble was a direct entry into the process. However, with Kumble stepping down from the post on an unexpected note, the board re-invited application on the thought that a number of eligible candidates might not have applied since Kumble himself had re-applied for the post when the BCCI opened the process for the first time. As a result, former team director Ravi Shastri has also joined the race to become India’s head coach.

Now as per reports in The Deccan Chronicle, the CAC has narrowed down the shortlisted candidates’ list to main three candidates – Ravi Shastri, Virender Sehwag and Tom Moody. The news was revealed by a top BCCI official who also stated that the decision to select the new coach will solely be the CAC’s and neither captain nor BCCI would interfere in it.

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“The new coach is likely to be any of these three – Ravi Shastri, Virender Sehwag and Tom Moody,” the source was quoted as saying by the news outlet.

Shastri, meanwhile, is seen by many as the front-runner for the post not only for his track record as the team’s director but also his rapport with the team especially Virat Kohli. Shastri was the team director between 2014 and 2016 and during his tenure, Team India reached the semifinals of World Cup 2015 as well as the World Twenty20 2016. It also registered a Test series win in Sri Lanka after 22 years in addition to beating South Africa at home. Moreover, with Kumble’s spell coming to an end due to an alleged rift between him and Kohli, the CAC would look to appoint someone who shares a good relationship with the players.

Virat Kohli, who had differences with former India coach Anil Kumble, has enjoyed solid relationship with Ravi Shastri, who worked as Team India director before Kumble was appointed as India coach. (Photo: PTI)

However, the official made it clear that even though Kohli wants to have Shastri at the helm the CAC will have the final say.

“Virat Kohli may have expressed his desire to have Ravi Shastri for the job but it will purely be a decision of the CAC. We will not empower Kohli’s wish,” said the official.

The last date for receiving applications, meanwhile, is Sunday, July 9 and the CAC is set to hold its selection meet on Monday, July 10.

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