Reports | Ravi Shastri, Vikram Rathour, Bharat Arun favorites for top jobs in Indian cricket
Jalandhar-born Vikram Rathour has emerged as the favorite for the role of batting coach, while both Ravi Shastri and Bharat Arun are expected to keep their respective jobs as head and bowling coach. R Sridhar, Jonty Rhodes and Abhay Sharma are in the fray for the role of fielding coach.
Of the six candidates who have been shortlisted for the role of the head coach, the incumbent Ravi Shastri has once again turned out to be the clear favourite. It seems Shastri ticks all the boxes that the panel is looking for in their ideal candidate. It is understood that he will be handed a two-year term on Friday, when the committee will convene in Mumbai to make the final call.
However, the major races will be for the three roles in each department of the game – batting, bowling and fielding.
12 candidates, including incumbent Sanjay Bangar, are in the mix and the national selection committee, led by MSK Prasad, will take the final call. Of the 12 in line, 50-year-old Rathour has caught the eye of some big names, especially India’s junior national coach and National Cricket Academy (NCA) director Rahul Dravid.
Englishmen Jonathan Trott, Mark Ramprakash, former first-class stalwarts Amol Muzumdar and Hrishikesh Kanitkar, Sri Lankan Thilan Samaraweera, senior coaches Pravin Amre and Lalchand Rajput are the other candidates who have applied for the position. However, it is understood that the team wants an Indian in the role.
“The only thing CAC needs to consider is that the individual should be an Indian, who understands our language and precepts,” sources told TOI.
Although Rathour is the favorite, given his success at the domestic level, the CoA has held back his appointment as batting coach at NCA and India ‘A’ thrice in the past, citing ‘conflict of interest'.
“The COA, however, has never specified what the conflict is. That he is related to former BCCI president Anurag Thakur? How is it even a conflict? Just because you’re related to someone, your qualifications or experience shouldn’t matter?” the source said.
In the bowling department, Arun will have to fend off eight other interested parties for the job. Darren Gough from England, and former India bowler and junior selector Venkatesh Prasad would pose the biggest threat to his job. However, he still emerges as favourite, given his track record with the team in the last two years.
“If anyone has done an excellent job with a national team’s bowling attack in recent years, it is Bharat Arun. Look at the transformation the Indian team has gone through. India’s pace attack is the best in the world. Young spinners enjoy great confidence. They were the backbone of India’s fight over the last two years,” sources said.
Meanwhile, the choice for the fielding coach is not as obvious. Sources admit that will be a toss up between R Sridhar and Jonty Rhodes.
“Sridhar has shown results and you can’t ignore Rhodes. That’s a tough call. The CAC would have otherwise not considered a foreigner, but this is Jonty Rhodes we’re talking about. So let’s see,” sources added.
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