Former Indian Team director Ravi Shastri confirmed that CAB president Sourav Ganguly was not present when he gave his interview for India’s head coach job. “Ganguly wasn’t there when I was interviewed,” Ravi Shastri confirmed to Indian Express.
Sourav Ganguly is one of the four-man team which BCCI proposed naming them as CAC (Cricket Advisory Committee) and is an important personality as the team ultimately decided the new head coach.
Reports suggest that Ravi Shastri’s interview took place between 5 pm to 6 pm at Taj Bengal Hotel and VVS Laxman, Jagdale were present for the interview. As confirmed earlier, Sachin has made his presence through Skype from London.
Sourav Ganguly was reportedly attending a meeting of CAB during the same period and he told the media that he attended Shastri’s meeting through Skype.
Asked if he was disappointed, Shastri said: “I was very disappointed. Disappointment because the hard work entire unit had put in in the last 18 months. To see where they were when the support staff and I took over and to where they reached in 18 months makes me feel proud. They got up, threw punches and ended up where they were. No 1 in Test cricket, No 1 in T20, No 2 in ODI. You can’t ask for more. Even I didn’t’ expect such a transformation in 18 months with this young team. I feel really proud. I was honest, worked hard along with the support staff, and the players were fantastic. You look during those months with the BCCI being hammered in the court and media for various reasons, cricket was the shining light. People really took to watching the way Indian team was playing.”
“Meeting was great. Some great questions from VVS, Sachin, and Sanjay. I put my way forward for the team. They wanted to know how do I plan to do well in all formats, how we should look at fast bowlers, and things of that sort,” he added when asked about the meeting.
When asked about Sourav Ganguly, Shastri confirmed: “Well, actually he wasn’t there.”
Asked if he had inquired about Dada’s absence, “That I can’t ask na. I responded to the questions asked and as I told you there was some good questions from the three, and it was a great meeting.”
On his future plans, Shastri said: “I have been in the field for a long enough. That was yesterday. There is bright sunshine in Thailand today. So, get up, hit the beach and just chill.”