Ravi Shastri & Co. To Get Extension Ahead Of World Cup
Mar 18, 2019 at 9:37 AM
Ravi Shastri and his backroom staff will run out of contract in July this year. Shastri was appointed in mid-2017 after the conclusion of the ICC Champions Trophy when Anil Kumble had sensationally stepped down as head coach of the team. And his contract alongside that of bowling coach Bharat Arun, batting coach Sanjay Bangar and fielding coach R Sridhar will expire at the end of this year’s World Cup.
The Committee of Administrators is now all set to take a final call on the situation. According to Bangalore Mirror, the Supreme Court-appointed committee will meet in Mumbai on Monday and the extension for the support staff of Team India will be on the top of the agenda. The Vinod Rai-panel is reportedly keen to take a decisive call on the matter sooner rather than later. The report suggested that the CoA does not want to leave the matter to the last minute.
There is also a chance that the CoA can give an extension to all the four coaches up to November 2020, that is till next year’s World Twenty20 in Australia.
The CoA and the support staff were set to attend a meeting together during the fifth ODI against Australia in Delhi last week. However, it did not happen although there was some communications between the administrators and Ravi Shastri. The report claimed that while the details of the conversation is not clear, Shastri seems to have communicated with CEO. In any case, the coaches want a quick decision on their future.
Shastri & Co. have done a fine job since taking charge in 2017. Earlier this year, India won their first-ever Test series and bilateral ODI series in Australia. The Men in Blue then won the ODI series in New Zealand 4-1. Last year, the team won ODI series and T20I series in South Africa before winning the Nidahas Trophy. It was followed by a T20I series win in England and a triumphant campaign in the Asia Cup.