It’s not only Zaheer Khan; Shastri wants this man as bowling coach
- Zaheer Khan and Rahul Dravid is named as bowling and batting coach respectively for India.
- The announcement came after selection of Indian head coach Ravi Shastri.
- Shastri is now unhappy for naming Zak as bowling coach. He wanted Bharath Arun as new bowling coach.
FollowAfter the announcement of Ravi Shastri’s name as Indian head coach, two Indian players were selected as a part of Indian Cricket team.
Zaheer Khan was named as the bowling coach, and Rahul Dravid was appointed for the post of batting coach during overseas matches.
Now that Zak has been named as bowling coach, Ravi Shastri seems to be unhappy. As a present coach for Indian team until 2019 World Cup, Shastri wanted Bharath Arun as a bowling coach.
Arun had replaced Joe Dawes in 2014 and was there with the Indian team till 2016 when Shastri was dumped.
He didn't have a distinguished playing career but has always been regarded as a great academy coach with a sound grip on the theories related to fast bowling.
Arun and Shastri go back a long way having been buddies since their U-19 days back in the early 80's.
Coming to Zaheer Khan’s part, it was learnt that Zaheer is unlikely to give around 250 days a year that a full-time bowling coach will be required to and may not be available for more than 100 days.
Speaking to Hindustan Times, Ravindra Jadeja, Indian all-rounder felt Zaheer’s inputs would help the bowlers. “Zaheer has a lot of experience. Our fast bowlers will benefit from his presence, especially overseas, where he has so much experience,” said Jadeja.
Earlier, when Shastri was asked about his choice of bowling coach, he had said Arun, but one particular member of CAC was against it.
Shastri then apparently said that: "Give me Jason Gillespie then". Gillespie is widely acknowledged as the best bowling coach in the cricketing fraternity.
The wily cricketer that he was, Shastri knew that BCCI couldn't rope in someone like Gillespie, who is already contracted with Papua New Guinea.
"Ravi has highest regards for Zaheer, but he believes that a full-time bowling coach is required. Let Zak create a roadmap for bowlers, and it will be Arun who will implement it. Ravi is expected to speak to COA on Saturday and make it clear that he would like Arun to join the team for Sri Lanka tour itself," a reliable BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
According to reliable sources in the BCCI, Shastri is expected to meet the top officials and the Committee of Administrators (COA) during the weekend as he is expected to cut short his trip to the United Kingdom.
