cricket

Updated: Aug 25, 2019 15:02 IST

Reacting for the first time after the Kapil-Dev Cricket Advisory Committee reappointed Ravi Shastri as the head coach of Indian cricket team till the 2021 T20 World Cup, former India captain Sourav Ganguly said that the right decision was made keeping Shastri’s track record in mind.

“No, I think they have done well by giving Ravi a couple of years extension and I hope he does well,” said Ganguly in an interview to Sportstar on being asked whether India should have looked beyond Shastri considering the Men in Blue has not been able to win an ICC tournament under his tenure.

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Wishing Shastri the luck, Ganguly hoped the current India head coach backs the faith shown on him by performing and taking India all the way in the upcoming two T20 World Cups in 2020 and in 2021. “Hopefully now India can now go all the way in the two tournaments that are coming up (the T20 World Cups in 2020 and 2021),” said Ganguly.

Ganguly’s comments prove that the former captain has risen above the spat he had with Shastri when he was leading the committee designated to appoint India’s head coach last time around.

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Team India’s coach and support staff got an extension till the ongoing West Indies tour after their contracts expired at the end of the 2019 World Cup. The CAC then reappointed Ravi Shastri as Team India’s coach and the MSK Prasad national selection committee opted for Bharat Arun, R Sridhar and Vikram Rathour as bowling, fielding and batting coaches respectively.

“I am a big supporter of Indian coaches. The communication is good. They understand the mindset. I am not saying that overseas coaches are different. At one stage during the transition in 2000s we needed overseas coaches to guide young players and take a way forward. But I am extremely happy that our own home bred coaches are given priority which is good because they have put in a lot of effort,” Ganguly said.

Earlier, Ganguly had shown his interest in applying for the India head coach position in future. “Definitely, I’m interested but not at this point of time. Let one more phase go then I will throw my name into the fray,” Ganguly had said.