I won’t apply for coach job again, says Sehwag

New Delhi: Virender Sehwag on Friday said he missed out on becoming the Indian cricket team’s chief coach for the lack of patronage from the powers that be in the BCCI and will not apply for the position again.

Sehwag lost out to Ravi Shastri, who was touted as the choice of skipper Virat Kohli — an appointment that was not unanimous with former India captain Sourav Ganguly, a member of the Cricket Advisory Committee, strongly against the decision.

“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),” Sehwag told a Hindi news channel in a chat show.

The swashbuckling former opener was in his elements and claimed that he was misled by a section of the BCCI into applying for the post.

“I never thought of coaching the Indian cricket team. I was given an offer to coach the team. The BCCI (acting) secretary Amitabh Chaudhary and GM (Game Development) M.V. Sridhar came to me and requested me to think about the offer. I took my time and then applied for the position,” Sehwag revealed.

In fact, he claimed that he had even consulted India captain Virat Kohli before applying. “I also had a word with Virat Kohli, he asked me to go for it,” said Sehwag.