Sehwag gets a worthy opponent, Shastri applies for Team India coach's position

Photo: AFP New Delhi: Amidst raging debate on the successor of Anil Kumble, Ravi Shastri has applied for the position of Team India’s head coach, confirmed BCCI sources. The former India team director had earlier stated that he was ready to throw his hat in after the BCCI invited fresh applications for the high profile post. The news comes at a time when there were uncertainties about the replacement of Anil Kumble, who stepped down alleging untenable relationship with captain Virat Kohli. After Kumble’s resignation, reports started circulating about Virat Kohli’s desire to see Shahstri as India coach as the former shared a cordial relation with Shastri when he was India’s team director. Shastri however rubbished the claims of Virat pushing for him. Interestingly, Shastri had earlier applied for the position in 2016 only to be snubbed by the Cricket Advisory Committee comprising of Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman, who appointed Kumble over Shastri. Shastri was India’s team director between 2014 and 2016 and he like Kumble, achieved fare amount success. Shastri’s decision to apply makes the battle for Team India’s coach quite interesting. Finally, Virender Sehwag would face some tough competition, who was pitted as the front runner by some distance. The list which already includes the likes of Tom Moody, Richard Pybus, Lalchand Rajput and Dodda Ganesh apart from Sehwag and Shastri is expected to grow further till the deadline closes on July 9. BCCI will name the new coach before the Sri Lanka tour, which starts from mid-July.