Ravi Shastri, the newly appointed head coach of the Indian men’s cricket team, on Thursday revealed the reasons why he applied for the job in an interview with Mid-Day.
A former team director, Shastri had applied for the job in 2016 but had lost out to Anil Kumble. This year, he did not apply in the first round of the application process but threw in his candidature after Kumble’s resignation.
“I didn’t apply in the first place. What did make me apply was when I realised that there was a huge problem there,” said the popular commentator. “Initially, I didn’t apply but I didn’t realise how serious the issues were.”
He added, “Therefore, when the BCCI reopened the (application window), I gave it a thought and said to myself, ‘you must (apply) because you have been instrumental in (the appointment of) your support staff and have seen where your team has risen to. Now, you can also see in front of your eyes that there is a problem, so instead of backing away from it, take it head on.’”
Shastri also rubbished speculation that Sachin Tendulkar, a member of the Cricket Advisory Committee who made the appointment in the first place, had prompted him to apply but did not want to provide more information about the nature of the “huge problem”.
“I was (surprised to discover the problem in the team),” he said. “That’s why I didn’t apply initially. I didn’t realise the gravity (of the situation) and if it (the problem) was there from the very beginning and I knew about it, I would’ve applied in the first place.”