Captain, Coach and a Selection: What's happening in Indian Cricket?

[prasad1]

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I was not sure as to where this thread belongs, by default I am posting in Chit-Chat.

Indian cricket administration is known for organisational googlies. The latest in the saga of murky affairs is the selection of coach for Indian cricket team. In a span of hours, there was initially speculation over Ravi Shastri's appointment as cricket coach of India only for the denial to follow. But, it took no time for the national cricket administration to confirm the appointment thereby denying the denial. All this indicates that something is seriously wrong with the process of selection rather than the choice of the person to mentor Indian cricket team.

This is not to undermine the competence of this all rounder to be the guide to shape the destiny of Indian team at this moment. Shastri was the team director from 2014 to mid-2016. During this period only, Indian team could become the number one cricket team in the world and qualify for the World cup semi finals that too in Australia. Besides, Ravi Shastri has comfortable relationship with the present captain, Virat Kohli which is critical to avoid embarrassing moments on and off the field. Shastri excelled as an opener and left arm spinner. He was the captain of Indian team and showed exemplary performance on West Indies soil too which was the strongest team in the world at that point in time. Ravi Shastri will be guiding Indian team up to the world cup in 2019.

But, the selection process was murky. There is an elaborate system and apparatus to select the coach. The BCCI, The Committee of Administrators, and Cricket Advisory Committee comprising of legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and V.V.S Laxman have a role to play in the process of selecting the coach. But, the captain Virat Kohli had overwhelming influence in the selection process making all the other entities dummy. It's true that the captain should have compatibility with the Coach, but, captain alone calling the shots is peculiar.

The selection process was thus reduced to be a mere formality though Virendra Sehwag and Tom Moody , Australian cricketer were also considered.

https://www.knpost.com/category/4978243/postid/3744307

 

[prasad1]

Fresh controversy started when reports emerged on Thursday that Shastri was unhappy with the appointment of Zaheer as bowling coach as he wanted to bring his trusted man Bharat Arun for the job.

Reports in some quarters claimed the Committee of Administrators (CoA) felt that the CAC, comprising Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman went out of their ambit in picking the coach.

Hurt by the criticism and reports, the CAC wrote a letter to the CoA chairman Vinod Rai and said the appointments were made after informing the new coach Shastri and India captain Virat Kohli.

The CoA later released a media release in the wake of the CAC letter and clarified that Zaheer and Dravid have been appointed as the consultants and they will be a part of the team during specific overseas tours.

https://www.thequint.com/cricket/2017/07/14/zaheer-khan-india-bowling-coach-contract-sourav-ganguly

 

[prasad1]

New India cricket coach Ravi Shastri plans to adopt a more hands-off approach to the role than his predecessor Anil Kumble, with the 55-year-old saying he has no intention of trying to act as a tutor to the players.

Kumble stepped down last month citing a breakdown in his relationship with skipper Virat Kohli, who according to media reports, resented the former captain's 'headmasterly' methods.

Shastri was handed the coaching reins on Tuesday, a year after losing the job to Kumble, and the former all-rounder promised a fresh outlook to the job.

"At the highest level, cricketers are more or less settled," Shastri told the Times of India newspaper.

"So it is more to do with working on their mental strength, helping build their confidence, helping them stay organised in their daily activities as against tinkering with their style of play.

"It's not about 'tutoring' them about everything and telling them what and what not to do. There's very little coaching at the highest level. It's about fine-tuning and mentoring, about effective communication."

Shastri, who has served as team director in the past, enjoys a good rapport with Kohli and said he had no issues with players having more freedom off the field.

"Why should I change anyone's style, or for that matter, why should anyone change his own style of doing things?

"As long as there's a level of commitment, the hard yards are being put in and results are showing, why shouldn't there be fun?"

The Indian cricket board has also named former seamer Zaheer Khan as the team's bowling consultant, while Rahul Dravid was appointed as batting consultant for overseas test series.

The first challenge for the new coaching set-up will begin later this month when India tour Sri Lanka for three tests, five one-dayers and a sole Twenty20 international.

Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/sport/cri...more-freedom-for-players/#VvL3Cti2bkxbKsbF.99

 

[prasad1]

The BCCI has done a u-turn on the appointments of Zaheer Khan as bowling consultant and Rahul Dravid as overseas Test batting consultant; the appointments were announced on July 11.

Now, the chairman of the committee of administrators (CoA) has said those were mere recommendations that needed action from the CoA "in consultation with the head coach". Ravi Shastri, India's new head coach, meanwhile, is set to get his own support staff as that has been decided "in consultation with the head coach already".

As for Dravid and Zaheer, yet another committee has been formed to decide if they are needed at all, and terms of engagement if they are. The committee, comprising acting BCCI president CK Khanna, secretary Amitabh Choudhary and CoA member Diana Edulji, will have a meeting with Shastri. The meeting will be convened by BCCI CEO Rahul Johri.

This is yet another process after a month-long farcical drama finally ended with a definitive BCCI release on July 11. It said, "The BCCI announces the appointment of Mr. Ravi Shastri as the Head Coach, Mr. Zaheer Khan as the Bowling Consultant and Mr. Rahul Dravid who will be the Overseas Batting Consultant (Test cricket) for the Indian Cricket Team." It was followed by praise for the appointees and gratitude for the cricket advisory committee (CAC) comprising Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman, who had been tasked with identifying the new coach. The release was signed by Choudhary.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/india/content/story/1111242.html

 

[biswa]

(Some) success has gone to Kohli's head!

 

[vgane]

(Some) success has gone to Kohli's head!

He is a nut! The way he ill treated all rounder Kumble shows that Captaincy has taken a toll on him! That he will not last long is my guess!!

 

[prasad1]

I am not a Kohli fan.

But this mess is not his creation. BCCI is a totally rudderless ship lost in high seas.