BCCI may put Shastri, Kohli in the dock if the team fails to put up a fight

New Delhi, August 13 

The Indian cricket board (BCCI) might ask chief coach Ravi Shastri and skipper Virat Kohli a few tough questions if the team fails to put up a better show in the third Test. The third Test will start on Saturday in Nottingham, and the team for the final two Tests will be picked after this match. 

“The Indian team can’t say it wasn’t given enough time to prepare,” said a senior BCCI official. “When we lost the South Africa series, the players spoke about tight scheduling and the lack of practice games. It was after speaking to them we decided to hold white-ball matches before the Tests in England.” 

“We arranged white ball-matches first. It was on their insistence that we sent India A team to England ahead of the senior team. Two senior India players, M Vijay and Ajinkya Rahane, were accommodated in India A side... Whatever they wanted was provided, now if the results don’t come, the board is well within its rights to ask some questions,” the official added. 

The question doing the rounds in the BCCI corridors is, why the Shastri-Kohli duo has been given carte blanche in running the team? The official hinted that if India lost the series, there’s a strong possibility that Kohli and Shastri may no longer enjoy unbridled powers, as has been the case until now. “Don’t forget that under Shastri and the current support staff, we have lost a major Test series in Australia (in 2014-15), and in South Africa (in 2017-18). Now we are in dire straits in England,” he said. “Remember, the board removed Duncan Fletcher’s assistants Joe Dawes (bowling coach) and Trevor Penny (fielding coach) after India lost the last Test series in England.”

Bangar, Sridhar under 

the scanner 

A source in the board said batting coach Sanjay Bangar and fielding coach R Sridhar’s performance was also being evaluated. Since Sridhar took over, the Indian slip fielders have dropped 50 catches, with former Australian captain Ian Chappell also questioning their technique. 

In the case of Bangar, the source said, his biggest challenge was to get the players ready for tough away tours but he has not been able iron out their flaws even after four years. 

Captaincy dilemma 

If Kohli fails to recover from his back stiffness/pain in time for the third Test, India might have a tough time picking the leader, for vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane is not a certainty in the playing XI following a string of low scores. In case he loses his place, senior bowler Ravichandran Ashwin looks a likely candidate for the leadership role. 

Former India opener Sunil Gavaskar has suggested that at least one selector should be part of the team management for away tours. This is a model that Cricket Australia has followed for years now. An independent and outside voice could be of great value while picking the playing XI. — PTI

Team got whatever it asked for: BCCI official

We arranged white ball-matches first. It was on their insistence that we sent India A team to England ahead of the senior team and named Vijay and Rahane in India A. Whatever they wanted was provided, now if the results don’t come, the board is well within its rights to ask questions from them. — Senior BCCI official