NEW DELHI: A surprise decision by India’s cricket board to appoint two high-profile stars to assist new coach Ravi Shastri has some experts wondering how much autonomy the former all-rounder will wield at the helm.
The cricket board ended months of speculation Tuesday in naming Shastri to replace Anil Kumble, who resigned as head of the world’s top Test side following a bitter fallout with skipper Virat Kohli.
Shastri’s appointment was widely expected but the board’s decision to name ex-players Zaheer Khan and Rahul Dravid as bowling and batting consultants raised eyebrows.
Traditionally, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) allows the head coach to pick support staff and the break with convention did not go unnoticed.
“The coach has now got appendages. The BCCI has added more arsenal to the support staff,” prominent cricket commentator and columnist Ayaz Memon told AFP.
“The problem could be of too many people.”
Shastri, 55, edged out a host of high-profile contenders for the top job, including Virender Sehwag, Australia’s Tom Moody, Englishman Richard Pybus and former India manager Lalchand Rajput.
Speculation had been rife that Shastri, who served as India’s team director between 2014 and 2016, would get the nod, especially given his friendly ties with Kohli.
“If Dravid batting consultant and Zaheer bowling coach, is Shastri more ‘team director’ again?” wrote leading Indian commentator Harsha Bhogle on Twitter.
Cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra suggested Shastri’s new role differed little from his old one, saying: “Only the designation changes!”
A panel tasked by the Supreme Court with overseeing the affairs of India’s scandal-ridden cricket board appeared pleased with the selection.
“It is a comprehensive recommendation covering all aspects of the coaching requirement of any team,” it said in a statement Wednesday.
Fast bowler Amir gets PCB’s category A contract
Fast bowler Mohammad Amir and four other players were promoted by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which awarded new contracts to 35 cricketers on Wednesday.
The one-year contracts are in four categories with players getting a raise of 10 percent in their monthly retainers.
Amir, who was in category B last year, was promoted to category A. Batsman Babar Azam, fast bowler Hasan Ali and allrounder Imad Wasim jumped to category B from C, while opening batsman Ahmed Shahzad moved one step up to category C.
Middle order batsman Umar Akmal and fast bowler Mohammad Irfan were notable players axed from the list as the PCB awarded contracts to 15 new players, including left-handed batsman Fakhar Zaman and young legspinner Shadab Khan.
Akmal was sent back home from England in May after failing a fitness test ahead of the Champions Trophy. He also left Pakistan’s current fitness camp in Lahore, saying he had to go to England for the rehabilitation of injury on his right knee.
“The central contracts were awarded after keeping in mind the performances, fitness, and discipline of the players,” the PCB said in a statement.
Pakistan’s Champions Trophy winning captain Sarfraz Ahmed is among six cricketers in category A who will each get a monthly retainer of around $6100 a month.
Chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq and head coach Mickey Arthur were in the committee which recommended the 35 cricketers for central contracts and the list was approved by PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan.
The cricket board ended months of speculation Tuesday in naming Shastri to replace Anil Kumble, who resigned as head of the world’s top Test side following a bitter fallout with skipper Virat Kohli.
Shastri’s appointment was widely expected but the board’s decision to name ex-players Zaheer Khan and Rahul Dravid as bowling and batting consultants raised eyebrows.
Traditionally, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) allows the head coach to pick support staff and the break with convention did not go unnoticed.
“The coach has now got appendages. The BCCI has added more arsenal to the support staff,” prominent cricket commentator and columnist Ayaz Memon told AFP.
“The problem could be of too many people.”
Shastri, 55, edged out a host of high-profile contenders for the top job, including Virender Sehwag, Australia’s Tom Moody, Englishman Richard Pybus and former India manager Lalchand Rajput.
Speculation had been rife that Shastri, who served as India’s team director between 2014 and 2016, would get the nod, especially given his friendly ties with Kohli.
“If Dravid batting consultant and Zaheer bowling coach, is Shastri more ‘team director’ again?” wrote leading Indian commentator Harsha Bhogle on Twitter.
Cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra suggested Shastri’s new role differed little from his old one, saying: “Only the designation changes!”
A panel tasked by the Supreme Court with overseeing the affairs of India’s scandal-ridden cricket board appeared pleased with the selection.
“It is a comprehensive recommendation covering all aspects of the coaching requirement of any team,” it said in a statement Wednesday.
Fast bowler Amir gets PCB’s category A contract
Fast bowler Mohammad Amir and four other players were promoted by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which awarded new contracts to 35 cricketers on Wednesday.
The one-year contracts are in four categories with players getting a raise of 10 percent in their monthly retainers.
Amir, who was in category B last year, was promoted to category A. Batsman Babar Azam, fast bowler Hasan Ali and allrounder Imad Wasim jumped to category B from C, while opening batsman Ahmed Shahzad moved one step up to category C.
Middle order batsman Umar Akmal and fast bowler Mohammad Irfan were notable players axed from the list as the PCB awarded contracts to 15 new players, including left-handed batsman Fakhar Zaman and young legspinner Shadab Khan.
Akmal was sent back home from England in May after failing a fitness test ahead of the Champions Trophy. He also left Pakistan’s current fitness camp in Lahore, saying he had to go to England for the rehabilitation of injury on his right knee.
“The central contracts were awarded after keeping in mind the performances, fitness, and discipline of the players,” the PCB said in a statement.
Pakistan’s Champions Trophy winning captain Sarfraz Ahmed is among six cricketers in category A who will each get a monthly retainer of around $6100 a month.
Chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq and head coach Mickey Arthur were in the committee which recommended the 35 cricketers for central contracts and the list was approved by PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan.
