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Cricket Players'Nine months later, they came back to the very guy they threw out': Shastri says people opposed his selection as coach
Recalling his appointment in 2017, Shastri revealed that the development was a sheer embarrassment for those "specific people" who did not want him to return to the Indian side for the role.
Former head coach of the Indian cricket team, Ravi Shastri, on Friday revealed that there were "specific people" who did not want him to return as the head coach back in 2017 when Anil Kumble had stepped down from the role following India's defeat to Pakistan in the Champions Trophy final.
Shastri's first stint with the Indian team was in August 2014, when he was appointed as the Team Director after India's forgettable tour of England. Under his tenure, India made the semi-finals of two back-to-back global events - the 2015 ODI World Cup and the 2016 T20 World Cup - and also claimed the top spot in the ICC Test Rankings for a period of eight months. Shastri's role ended in 2016 and the former India all-rounder, in an interview with the Times of India, revealed that he wasn't given a proper reason behind his removal from the role despite India performing well under his tenure as Team Director.
“In less than two years after I was asked to set aside my broadcast career, leave everything else and join the team, I suddenly found myself out for no reason. I had sown the seeds and the fruits were beginning to show and out of nowhere I came to know I was being replaced. Nobody told me why. Yes, more than anything, it hurt because of the manner in which it was done,” Shastri said.
"For all that I had contributed, just on one word from the BCCI, there were better ways to let me know "Oh look we don't want you, we don't like you. We want somebody else - if that was the case. Anyway, I went back to do what I do best - which is television.”
Back in 2016, Shastri had applied for the role of Head Coach, but was disappointed to have missed out on the opportunity to Kumble, who's stint ended after India's Champions Trophy final defeat. And in 2017, Shastri was called back, this time for the role of the Head Coach. Recalling his appointment, Shastri revealed that the development was a sheer embarrassment for those "specific people" who did not want him to return to the Indian side for the role.
“Around nine months passed, and I didn't even have a clue that there was anything wrong inside the team. I mean, what could've been wrong? I was told there was a real problem and I said - how can there be a problem in nine months? The team that I had left was in such a good space. How the hell in nine months could something go that drastically wrong?"
“During my second stint, I came after a huge controversy. And it was literally egg on the faces of those who wanted me away. They opted for someone and nine months later, they came back to the very guy they threw out,” said Shastri.
Shastri further revealed that many weren't happy with the the inclusion of Bharat Arun either, who was appointed as the bowling coach, was one of the key figure in building India's strong pace bowling attack that picked 20 wickets in South Africa, Australia and England.
“Yes. They didn't want to give me Bharat Arun either as the bowling coach. And looking at how things pan out - the very guy they didn't want as the bowling coach went on to become the finest this country has ever had. And I'm not pointing any fingers at people in general. Specific people. I must say an attempt was made to ensure I don't get the job. But such is life," he added.
