Team India coach saga: Will Virat Kohli have the final say?

Indian cricket coach: The front-runners to becoming team India's next coach are Tom Moody and Ravi Shastri. So, that makes it a two-way fight

By: Ankit Banerjee |
July 11, 2017 10:24 am

Yes, the selection of Anil Kumble’s successor as the next team India coach is going down to the wire and the suspense is just building. On the 10th, we saw the shortlisted candidates were interviewed. Sourav Ganguly, then said that decision would be announced by the evening, but that did not happen. Ganguly, who is a part of the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), along with Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman said that more time will be needed to finally zero-in on one candidate. The CAC said “there is no hurry” to announce the name of the coach. The front-runners to becoming team India’s next coach are Tom Moody and Ravi Shastri. So, that makes it a two-way fight. The grapevine and punters believe Ravi Shastri will be the one, but that is all speculation. So, why the wait? Are they waiting for Virat Kohli to have his say.

Remember, Anil Kumble was chosen by the CAC, a year back. But, it was later found that Virat Kohli had his reservations over Anil. So is it that they are waiting for Virat to take a call. In that case the question is, why have a committee which does not back their own select. It seems like CAC wants to cover all bases, like take Virat’s nod before making the final announcement, so that they are not held at gun-point if things fall apart, like it did in Anil Kumble’s case. In the press conference yesterday, Ganguly clearly mentioned that Virat was not contacted, this only strengthens my stand.

Meanwhile @virendersehwag to @SGanguly99 and @imVkohli for #indiacoach post @bcci #IndiaCoachHunt pic.twitter.com/0hLAENUViG

— Parshva Shah (@imvkohli_fan42) July 10, 2017

Speaking from the BCCI headquarters, Ganguly said, “We have decided to hold on for the time being (the announcement). We need a few days more to talk to the players, especially the captain. The process is concluded (no more candidates will be interviewed). Virat did not give his inputs. He (Virat) needs to understand how the coaches (also) operate”.

From dressing room to interview room to dressing room again? #IndiaCoach pic.twitter.com/P9qlkvHcIW

— Jaspreet Sahni (@JaspreetSSahni) July 10, 2017

The Indian team without a coach won the recently concluded 5-match One Day International series in West Indies and they soon they will be on the tour to Sri Lanka.