weldone
Hall of Fame Member
I'm following the developments around this topic very closely since the last few months. The twists and turns are interesting.
Officially, the developments are as below:
1. Following the failures of Fletcher during the last few tours outside the sub-continent, Shastri was appointed as Team Director till the World Cup. He was given more power than the coach. The idea was that once Fletcher's contract expires after the World Cup, a new coach would be named. India reached the semifinal of the World Cup.
2. There was a big break in International cricket for India after the World Cup, due to IPL. But BCCI couldn't decide on a new coach in this long period! Just before the Bangadesh tour it was declared that Shastri would continue as team director for the tour of Bangladesh and there would be no head coach for this tour.
3. A 3-member BCCI advisory committee is formed with VVS Laxman, Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly as its members.
4. Rahul Dravid is named the coach of India A and India U-19 teams.
5. Sourav Ganguly openly says in a Bengali Television channel that being the coach of Indian cricket team is his dream job. In several interviews, he says that the emphasis should now be to perform well outside the subcontinent. On 14th June, Ganguly says that Shastri's fate will be decided in the next BCCI meeting Ravi Shastri's fate to be decided in next meeting: Sourav Ganguly | Zee News
6. Shastri, when asked on this subject in a press conference, answers rather angrily saying India doesn't need a head coach because there are separate batting coach, bowling coach, fielding coach and team director. In a separate interview, when asked on the subject of India's performances outside the subcontinent, he gets angry again and says that he will answer this question after 18 months.
7. India is threashed by Bangladesh in the first ODI.
And below are the rumors that are floating around:
1. The reason the new coach couldn't be decided during the IPL is that there were 2 or more high-profile candidates.
2. Dravid was initially interested to be the coach. But BCCI approached him to be part of the advisory committee - they initially planed a 4-man advisory committee with the 'Fab Four'. Dravid declined that offer mainly because he didn't want to work with Ganguly hinting that there might be clash of egos within the committee. Subsequently, the advisory committee influenced BCCI to hurriedly appoint Dravid as India A and U-19 coach.
3. There was a separate rumor that Ravi Shastri has already been appointed as coach for 1 year for 9 crore (90 million) rupees. This wasn't confirmed from any official sources. And if it's believed that Ganguly isn't utterly BS'ing in the fact number 5 above then this is unlikely to be true.
4. Shastri has warned BCCI that if he becomes the coach, he doesn't want the advisory committee to interfere in his job.
So, it is mainly Ganguly versus Shastri now.
Here are where the allegiances lie:
1. Virat Kohli - He has high regards for both. But during the past couple of months Shastri has been able to slightly influence him. So, he's tilted slightly in favor of Shastri at the moment.
2. BCCI Advisory Committee - This basically means Tendulkar and Laxman for this matter. They will support Ganguly.
3. BCCI Chief - Jagmohan Dalmiya has always shared a great relationship with Ganguly, except one misunderstanding between the 2 at one point - which was years ago. So, he will back Ganguly.
4. Dhoni - Although his importance has slightly reduced in the post-Srinivasan era and especially after losing to Bangladesh, he is still the captain in shorter versions. So, his opinion will matter but there is a chance that he may be pressurised from the powerful BCCI (a milder version of 'vote for this guy or lose your job'). It is not known who he likes more between the 2.
So, this is what it is. What do you guys think? Although I am not sure who is a better option between the 2 in the long-term, I am excited thinking that the Kohli-Ganguly partnership can be a swag-fest, just pure box-office stuff.
Officially, the developments are as below:
1. Following the failures of Fletcher during the last few tours outside the sub-continent, Shastri was appointed as Team Director till the World Cup. He was given more power than the coach. The idea was that once Fletcher's contract expires after the World Cup, a new coach would be named. India reached the semifinal of the World Cup.
2. There was a big break in International cricket for India after the World Cup, due to IPL. But BCCI couldn't decide on a new coach in this long period! Just before the Bangadesh tour it was declared that Shastri would continue as team director for the tour of Bangladesh and there would be no head coach for this tour.
3. A 3-member BCCI advisory committee is formed with VVS Laxman, Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly as its members.
4. Rahul Dravid is named the coach of India A and India U-19 teams.
5. Sourav Ganguly openly says in a Bengali Television channel that being the coach of Indian cricket team is his dream job. In several interviews, he says that the emphasis should now be to perform well outside the subcontinent. On 14th June, Ganguly says that Shastri's fate will be decided in the next BCCI meeting Ravi Shastri's fate to be decided in next meeting: Sourav Ganguly | Zee News
6. Shastri, when asked on this subject in a press conference, answers rather angrily saying India doesn't need a head coach because there are separate batting coach, bowling coach, fielding coach and team director. In a separate interview, when asked on the subject of India's performances outside the subcontinent, he gets angry again and says that he will answer this question after 18 months.
7. India is threashed by Bangladesh in the first ODI.
And below are the rumors that are floating around:
1. The reason the new coach couldn't be decided during the IPL is that there were 2 or more high-profile candidates.
2. Dravid was initially interested to be the coach. But BCCI approached him to be part of the advisory committee - they initially planed a 4-man advisory committee with the 'Fab Four'. Dravid declined that offer mainly because he didn't want to work with Ganguly hinting that there might be clash of egos within the committee. Subsequently, the advisory committee influenced BCCI to hurriedly appoint Dravid as India A and U-19 coach.
3. There was a separate rumor that Ravi Shastri has already been appointed as coach for 1 year for 9 crore (90 million) rupees. This wasn't confirmed from any official sources. And if it's believed that Ganguly isn't utterly BS'ing in the fact number 5 above then this is unlikely to be true.
4. Shastri has warned BCCI that if he becomes the coach, he doesn't want the advisory committee to interfere in his job.
So, it is mainly Ganguly versus Shastri now.
Here are where the allegiances lie:
1. Virat Kohli - He has high regards for both. But during the past couple of months Shastri has been able to slightly influence him. So, he's tilted slightly in favor of Shastri at the moment.
2. BCCI Advisory Committee - This basically means Tendulkar and Laxman for this matter. They will support Ganguly.
3. BCCI Chief - Jagmohan Dalmiya has always shared a great relationship with Ganguly, except one misunderstanding between the 2 at one point - which was years ago. So, he will back Ganguly.
4. Dhoni - Although his importance has slightly reduced in the post-Srinivasan era and especially after losing to Bangladesh, he is still the captain in shorter versions. So, his opinion will matter but there is a chance that he may be pressurised from the powerful BCCI (a milder version of 'vote for this guy or lose your job'). It is not known who he likes more between the 2.
So, this is what it is. What do you guys think? Although I am not sure who is a better option between the 2 in the long-term, I am excited thinking that the Kohli-Ganguly partnership can be a swag-fest, just pure box-office stuff.
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