Mumbai: On Friday, the BCCI’s Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) chose Ravi Shastri to continue as the Indian cricket team coach. The committee consisted of Kapil Dev, Shantha Rangaswamy and Anshuman Gaekwad. This appointment will see Shastri’s contract extended for a two-year contract. He had taken over as head coach in 2017 on a two-year contract and was a direct entry in the interview process which took place on Friday.
Kapil Dev, while talking to the media, said that Mike Hesson and Tom Moody finished second and third, respectively, based on the ratings. When asked on Shastrsi’s appointment, Kapil Dev said, “All of them were excellent. I felt Shastri had more skills in communication. We have given the marks after listening to their presentations," All of this begs one question – Why did the CAC choose to stick with Ravi Shastri for a second time?
There are many things that stood in favour of Ravi Shastri right from his international experience, his previous track record and his plan for the foreseeable future. The fact that neither Hesson nor Moody was involved with an international team in recent years also worked to his favour.
Shastri’s ability to talk and communicate with players, bringing them together, is perhaps his biggest strength. The players themselves say that it isn’t difficult to have a word with him. He would hear them out and revert back. His ability to communicate directly with the BCCI has also helped him on several fronts.
His focus on not just the entire team but also each and every individual player has benefitted the team a lot. The mercurial rise of Jasprit Bumrah as a world-class bowler was also helped by him. He has also helped out Hardik Pandya and Mohammed Shami during their troubled times. He has also contributed to Cheteshwar Pujara owning the number 3 position in red-ball cricket.
With the rise of more and more international tournaments and tours, the need to have a deep squad became a necessity. For this, the grooming of young players for the future was absolutely necessary. And, under Ravi Shastri, youngsters like Rishabh Pant, Prithwi Shaw, Jasprit Bumrah and Shreyas Iyer were given opportunities to develop their talent.
Things like these prompted the CAC to employ Shastri as head coach for a second time. In his second stint, he will face two T20 World Cups in successive years, one in 2020 in Australia and the other in 2021 in India. He will also be involved with Team India in the inaugural World Test Championship which has already begun and the ODI League which will begin next year in May. Shastri is also understood to have outscored his opponents in this regard because the CAC wanted a coach who could handle the team across all three formats.
