Team management didn’t mention any preference against foreign candidates: MSK Prasad

For the second time in a row, Team India’s backroom staff will not have any foreign coach. Ravi Shastri has been re-appointed as head coach while Bharat Arun and R Sridhar are also likely to retain their posts as bowling and fielding coach respectively. The only new member will most probably be new batting coach Vikram Rathour who will replace Sanjay Bangar.

The Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) and the senior selection panel resisted the temptation of going for overseas coaches. There were some big names but the panels decided to put their faith in Indian coaches. For the head coach’s post, the likes of Mike Hesson and Tom Moody were in the race. Both are highly successful coaches but lost the race to Shastri.

In the support coaches’ race too, there were many overseas entries like Mark Ramprakash, Jonathan Trott, Darren Gough, Steffan Jones, Jonty Rhodes and Julien Fountain. But in the end, none of them could make it to the Indian team after appearing for the support staff interviews over the last four days which were conducted by senior men’s selection committee led by chairman MSK Prasad.

Apart from Ramprakash, none of the foreign candidates made it to the shortlist of the selectors for the batting, bowling and fielding coaches of India. The stint of the newly selected coaches will start with the upcoming home series against South Africa.

Prasad explains the reason

MSK Prasad, chief of India‘s selection panel, has now lifted the lid on why not a single overseas coach could make it. The former India wicketkeeper said that Team India did not mention any sort of preference against the overseas coaches but it was the skillset that saw the Indian coaches win the race.

“Ideally No. 1 will be taking the job. There is no point in looking at 2nd and 3rd-place candidates. Apart from Ramprakash, candidates picked for 2nd and 3rd slot can be used for ‘A’ cricket as well as NCA coaches,” Prasad told the media.

“Team management didn’t mention any preference against the foreign candidates. If they had then we wouldn’t have interviewed any of them. We were convinced by skill sets of R. Sridhar. He has transformed India into a wonderful fielding unit. We don’t see Rhodes fitting in for 2nd and 3rd place roles because they are meant for ‘A’ cricket and NCA,” added Prasad.

Watch – 10 cricketers and the cost of their luxurious houses