Ravi Shastri will continue as Indian cricket team’s head coach till the 2021 World T20, the Kapil Dev-led Cricket Advisory Committee announced on Friday (August 16). Shastri edged out Mike Hesson and Tom Moody by virtue of his experience of managing the current team. (CRICKET NEWS)
Shastri has been on the job since the end of the Champions Trophy in 2017 and was backed by skipper Virat Kohli to keep the post. India were ranked No. 1 in Tests and ODIs at various times during Shastri's tenure, made it to the World Cup semi-final and beat Australia in Australia for the first time in Test history.
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Apart from Shastri, the other big names who gave presentations to the three-member committee -- which also includes Shantha Rangaswamy and Anshuman Gaekwad -- were the former Sri Lanka and Sunrisers Hyderabad coach Moody, along with ex-New Zealand and Kings XI Punjab coach Hesson.
Each of the interviewed candidates were marked out of 100 on parameters including: Coaching Philosophy, Experience of Coaching, Achievements in Coaching, Communication, Knowledge of Modern Coaching Tools.
"The biggest advantage with Ravi Shastri was his ability to read the players and address the problems," said Gaekwad.
India's 2007 World T20-winning cricket manager Lalchand Rajput, former Mumbai Indians head coach Robin Singh were the other candidates in fray. Former West Indies coach Phil Simmons pulled out of the race.
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The support staff of the team (batting, bowling and fielding coaches) will be picked by chief selector MSK Prasad later this month.
India are currently in West Indies for a full tour. Virat Kohli’s team has won the T20 and ODI series and will now face Jason Holder’s men in a two-match Test series, starting August 22.
