Ravi Shastri to remain Team India head coach until ICC T20 World Cup 2021, confirms Kapil Dev-led CAC

Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) comprising Kapil Dev, Anshuman Gaekwad and Shantha Rangaswamy has announced that Ravi Shastri will continue in his capacity as the head coach of the Indian cricket team. He will thus be in charge of the Indian cricket team until 2021 World T20. [caption id=“attachment_5932331” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of India coach Ravi Shastri. AFP[/caption] By staying on at the helm, Shastri beat other short-listed candidates in Mike Hesson, Robin Singh, Phil Simmons, Tom Moody and Lalchand Rajput for the role. Simmons had pulled out later in the day citing ‘personal reasons’. “Number three was Tom Moody, number two was Mike Hesson. Number one is Ravi Shastri as all of you were expecting… (But) It was a very close race,” said Kapil at the press conference to announce the decision. Shastri’s contract ended after the 2019 World Cup where India lost to New Zealand in the semi-finals. He got a 45-day contract extension alongside rest of the coaches - Sanjay Bangar (batting), Bharat Arun (bowling) and R Sridhar (fielding). The interviews for the coveted role were conducted at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai. Former India all-rounder Robin Singh was first to appear for the interview. Rajput and Hesson also gave their presentations in person. Meanwhile, Moody and Shastri appeared via Skype. Simmons was slated to give his presentation via Skype as well before opting out. India captain Virat Kohli had already put his weight behind Shastri’s reappointment before departing for the West Indies. “The CAC hasn’t contacted me yet. If they want my opinion, I’ll go and speak to them. With Ravi Bhai, we share a great camaraderie, and will definitely be very happy if he continues. But I haven’t been contacted,” Kohli had said. Meanwhile CAC member and former India coach Anshuman Gaekwad said: “The captain can say anything. It doesn’t bother us. We are a committee. That’s his opinion and the BCCI takes a note of it, not us.” As the CAC conducted the interviews and oversaw the presentation for the head coach, MSK Prasad-led senior selection committee made their choice for the batting, bowling and fielding coaches also on a two year contract. The interviews for the specialist coaching roles are reported to commence next week, tentatively from 19-22 August. Shastri, then team director, was initially appointed as Team India coach in 2017 by CAC members Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman. He then had seen out competition posed by Virender Sehwag, Moody, Rajput and Richard Pybus.