Ravi Shastri set to apply for Indian cricket team's coach post

As BCCI decided to extend the deadline till July 9

Former India Team Director Ravi Shastri is set to apply for the post of chief coach of the Indian cricket team after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decided to extend the deadline till July 9.

“Yes, Ravi is very interested and will be applying for the coach’s post very soon,” a source close to Shastri said.

It was learnt that if Shastri applies, he will first need an assurance that he will be given a full two-year contract till the 2019 World Cup.

The former India captain will also make sure that he gets his own team of support staff, including bowling coach Bharath Arun, who had done a commendable job during his time with the team. Shastri, who was the Team Director from August 2014 to June 2016, was replaced by spin legend Anil Kumble, who recently stepped down due to his differences with skipper Virat Kohli. It must be noted that Shastri is Kohli’s preferred choice for the coach’s job as the two shared an excellent rapport.

During Shastri’s tenure, India won limited overs series away against England in 2014, reached the semi-finals of the World Cup and World T20 (2015 and 2016 respectively), won away Test series against Sri Lanka, home series against South Africa and T20 away series against Australia.

However, Shastri does not share a great equation with former India captain and Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) member Sourav Ganguly.

He had then alleged that Ganguly was not present when he appeared for his interview via Skype, while the stylish left- hander retorted by saying that had Shastri been so interested, he should have appeared in person for the job. 

Shastri had openly blamed Ganguly for his ouster, claiming that the former India captain as member of the CAC, lobbied for Kumble to replace him and convinced the other panel members, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman.

“Everybody has got the right to apply. We will find out. I can also apply provided I'm not an administrator,” Ganguly said. The president of Cricket Association of Bengal was on Tuesday named in a seven-member committee headed by IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla to identify the "few critical points" in the implementation of the Supreme Court order.

“We will have to listen to committee of administrators. I'm not exactly sure what will happen but I will find out,” Ganguly, who is the only cricketer in the panel, said.