Former India all-rounder has given a strong indication that the coming T20 World Cup in UAE and Oman will be his last assignment as the national team head coach.
Ravi Shastri’s tenure, which was extended in 2019 for another two years, will come to a close with the forthcoming ICC event, to be played from October 17 to November 14 in the Middle East.
There would have been a possibility of getting his contract extended with the BCCI, but given that the board’s eligibility rules don’t allow a person of 60 years or above to hold a post, that is highly unlikely. Shastri turned 59 in May this year.
“I believe so because I’ve achieved all I wanted,”
the coach told The Guardian when asked if he will step down after the T20 World Cup.
Shastri had a couple of stints with the Indian side as a director of cricket and interim coach before he was appointed full-time coach of the Virat Kohli-led Indian side in 2017. Two years later, his contract was renewed with an extension of two more years at the helm of the backroom staff.
“Five years as No 1 [in Test cricket], to win in Australia twice, to win in England. I spoke to Michael Atherton earlier this summer and said: ‘For me, this is the ultimate – to beat Australia in Australia and win in England in Covid times.’ We lead England 2-1 and the way we played at Lord’s and the Oval was special,”
he proudly recalled some of his finest moments with the team.
Reports are doing the rounds that spin legend Anil Kumble could take over from Shastri after the T20 World Cup. As per an Indian Express report, Kumble’s name is in consideration within the BCCI for a comeback as head coach.
Kumble, it is vividly remembered, resigned from the post only one year into his tenure after the 2017 Champions Trophy when it emerged that he has had a fall out with Kohli.
