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Team India’s head coach Ravi Shastri is unlikely to continue with his role after the completion of the ICC T20 World Cup later this year. Shastri’s tenure will be ending after the World Cup and he has not shown any interest in renewing his contract. The BCCI has also started to look in other directions to find the perfect fit for the role.
As per a report by News18, the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) has already started discussions on appointing a new head coach for the team after T20 World Cup. The report also suggests that Shastri has understood the situation and hence has himself communicated to the board about his decision to step down from the role. Apart from Ravi Shastri, bowling coach Bharat Arun and fielding coach R Sridhar will also complete their tenures by the end of the WC and are all set to be replaced. However, the current batting coach Vikram Rathore is likely to continue with his role.
Shastri first took the role of the head coach in 2017 for two years, i.e. till 2019, but then his contract was extended in August 2019 for another two years. During his tenure, India has performed decently. The former all-rounder is well-known for his not-so-caring attitude about ‘outside noise’ which perfectly suits the current captain Virat Kohli.
Who can replace Shastri?
As reported by News18, the BCCI has already started discussions about the new coach. The board will invite applications for the post and the selection will be done based on interview and portfolio. Although there is no particular name yet, Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag are said to be in contention for the role. Dravid’s name, in particular, was being brought up after he was given the head coach role for India’s Sri Lanka tour. Dravid has previously coached the U-19 team as well as India A, while Sehwag has no prior experience in coaching.
However, it is worth noting that Dravid has re-applied for the position of NCA head and is highly likely to take the position again. Also, when he was asked about taking a full-time coach role, he had dismissed the talks saying he has no such plans and is currently focused on the given task.