BCCI Fears Replacing Ravi Shastri as Team India Coach, Feels His Partnership With Virat Kohli Complements Men in Blue

A senior BCCI official said that it was important to continue with Shastri and Kohli as the two heads in the process of transition as the team looks to back youngsters with an eye on the 2020 World T20.

Even as the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) invited applications for the position of head coach and support staff of the Indian team, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) officials believe that it is important that Ravi Shastri continues as the head coach as that will help Virat Kohli evolve further as captain.

Shastri took over the reins as head coach of Team India after Anil Kumble’s infamous departure in 2017. Kumble’s working style and his methods were not liked by skipper Kohli which ended the partnership pre-maturely. Since then, Shastri took the command of the proceedings and helped the team in attaining the numero uno spot in Tests. He also shares a good rapport with most of the players and known for his man-management skills.

A senior BCCI official said that it was important to continue with Shastri and Kohli as the two heads in the process of transition as the team looks to back youngsters with an eye on the 2020 World T20 as well as the 2023 ODI World Cup.

“Nothing permanent with a long term effect should happen at this stage of transition. Shastri and Kohli complement each other well and it would be unfair to change half of a team that has been successful,” the BCCI official was quoted by IANS.

The official added that it was important to maintain continuity as a change in coach could mean that the players would have to adapt to his ways from the beginning and the equation that already exists in the Indian dressing room would go for a toss.

“A change in coach may prove to disturb the equation that exists which allows the players to have the mental space to excel. If a change is made at this stage, then it would be a change of strategy and planning for the next 5 years. It would be unfair to take such a decision at a stage when the stakeholders are not the ones deciding,” the official explained.

The BCCI invited applications for the positions of head coach, batting coach, bowling coach, fielding coach, physio, strength and conditioning coach and administrative manager for the Indian team on July 16. Shastri and his team will get an automatic entry into the recruitment process.

The current coaching staff were handed a 45-day extension after their tenure ended with the World Cup. But assistant coach Sanjay Bangar is under the scanner after India’s exit in the World Cup and the inability to find a number four batsman over the last two seasons.