And you thought the coach controversies were over?
Just two days after being appointed the new Indian cricket coach, PTI reports that Ravi Shastri is set to ruffle a few feathers and pitch for the return of bowling coach Bharat Arun in the Indian dressing room. This, despite the appointment of Zaheer Khan as the bowling consultant by the Committee of Administrators (CAC).
That Shastri wanted Arun to be part of his support staff is no secret but, as has been reported on this site before, CAC member Sourav Ganguly was against the pick. It was in fact Ganguly who pushed for the appointment of veteran pacer Zaheer Khan, the committee’s final pick.
What does strengthen Shastri’s case right now is that Zaheer Khan is reportedly unlikely to dedicate 250 days a year to the team, which is a bare minimum for a member of the support staff. He is in fact unlikely to be available for more than 100 days. It is also being reported that Zaheer’s salary package has not yet been inked and negotiations are still on.
Shastri’s Pick Overruled by CAC
The new Indian coach though was consulted while choosing his support staff. PTI reports that when Shastri was asked about his choice of bowling coach, he named Arun, however, his pick was shot down.
Shastri then apparently said that : "Give me Jason Gillespie then".
Gillespie is widely acknowledged as the best bowling coach in the cricketing fraternity. The wily cricketer that he was, Shastri knew that BCCI can't rope in someone like Gillespie, who is already contracted with Papua New Guinea. The BCCI has also kept Venkatesh Prasad's name on stand by but it is unlikely Shastri will settle for anything less than Arun.
Prasad however may not be liked by the Indian team as one complaint against him during his earlier tenure was turning quick bowlers into line and length medium fast bowlers.
According to reliable sources in the BCCI, Shastri is expected to meet the top officials and the Committee of Administrators (COA) during the weekend as he is expected to cut short his trip to United Kingdom.
"Ravi has highest regards for Zaheer but he believes that a full-time bowling coach is required. Let Zak create a roadmap for bowlers and it will be Arun who will implement it. Ravi is expected to speak to COA on Saturday and make it clear that he would like Arun to join the team from Sri Lanka tour itself," a reliable BCCI source told PTI.
Arun’s Time with Team India
Arun had replaced Joe Dawes in 2014 and was there with the Indian team till 2016 when Shastri was dumped. He didn't have a distinguished playing career but has always been regarded as a great academy coach with a sound grip on the theories related to fast bowling.
Arun and Shastri go back a long way having been buddies since their U-19 days back in early 80's.
It was on Shastri's recommendation that erstwhile President N Srinivasan gave a go-ahead to Arun's appointment with the senior team when he was the bowling consultant at the NCA.
(With inputs from PTI)
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