New Delhi: The BCCI is likely to pose a few questions to chief coach Ravi Shastri and captain Virat Kohli depending on how the third Test against England pans out after being left disappointed by the team’s meek surrender in the first two games.
The team for the fourth and fifth Test would be picked after the third game, starting Saturday in Nottingham, the result of which would decide the board’s course of action after a disastrous performance left Virat Kohli & company 0-2 down.
“The Indian team can’t complain that they were not given enough time to prepare. When we lost the South Africa series, the players spoke about tight scheduling and lack of practice games. It was after speaking to them we decided that white ball matches will be conducted before the Tests,” a senior BCCI official told this agency Thursday on conditions of anonymity.
“We arranged white ball matches first. It was on the senior team’s insistence that we send the India A team during the same time starting the concept of ‘Shadow Tour’. Two senior India players (Murali Vijay and Ajinkya Rahane) were accommodated for A team games. Whatever they wanted, they were provided. Now if results don’t come, the board has the rights to ask questions,” the official added.
In fact, there is a possibility that if India lose the series, the Shastri-Kohli duo may not enjoy unlimited powers as it has been the case till now.
“Don’t forget under Shastri and the current support staff, we have lost major Test series in Australia (0-2 in 2014-15), South Africa (1-2 in 2017-18). Now we are in dire straits in England. So yes, we will seek answers,” asserted the same official.
A source in the BCCI said batting coach Sanjay Bangar and fielding coach R Sridhar’s performance is also being evaluated. Since Sridhar took over, the Indian slip fielders have dropped 50 catches with former Australian captain Ian Chappell also questioning the technique.
In case of Bangar, his biggest challenge was to get the players ready for tough away tours but even after four years, it is evident that he has not been able to provide a solution to their woes.
The other dilemma the team are facing is over the captaincy issue in case Kohli is not fit in time for the Trent Bridge Test, starting August 18. The batting mainstay’s old back problem has flared up again and left him in discomfort during the second Test.
- Under Shastri and Kohli India have lost away series to Australia and South Africa
- Indian fielders have dropped close to 50 catches in slips raising questions about fielding coach Sridhar’s efficiency
- BCCI official says team received it all requirements it asked for
