Ravi Shastri looks favourite to be handed a fresh contract, reveals CAC member

The CAC - comprising Kapil Dev, Anshuman Gaekwad and Shantha Rangaswamy - has been appointed to pick the new coach and they have the responsibility to appoint a coach from the number of applications they received until July 31. While the likes of Tom Moody, Robin Singh, Lalchand Rajput among a host of other names, the committee is interested in picking Shastri again. Speaking to IANS, a Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) member said that with the team doing so well under Shastri, it was all but certain that the former India all-rounder will continue to coach the Indian team.

"We are not too keen to bring in a foreign coach. Yes, had someone of the stature of Gary Kirsten applied, we might have given it a thought. But even then, an Indian would have always been the priority. After all, the team has also done well under an Indian head coach, so why look for a change? As things stand now, Shastri does look to be the favourite to be handed a fresh contract," the CAC member told IANS.

Earlier, CoA chief Vinod Rai had made it clear that the final decision will be in the hands of the CAC and they will appoint the coach and there won't be a case of them giving their recommendation to the BCCI. A senior BCCI official had also recently said that it was important for Shastri to continue as the team was undergoing a transition phase.

"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. A change in coach may disturb the equation that exists and allows the players to have the mental space to excel.

"If a change is made at this stage, 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 said.