Ravi Shastri to pitch for Bharat Arun as bowling coach despite Zaheer Khan’s presence

Back at the helm as chief coach of the Indian cricket team, Ravi Shastri is likely to pitch for the return of bowling coach Bharat Arun despite the presence of Zaheer Khan in their ranks. Shastri’s choice of bowling coach was always Arun and it is now apparent that Cricket Advisory Committee did not take Shastri into confidence while recommending Zaheer as the bowling coach although his role would be similar to that of Rahul Dravid — that of a consultant.

It has been learnt that Zaheer is unlikely to give around 250 days a year that a full-time bowling coach will be required to and may not be available for more than 100 days. It may also be mentioned that Zaheer’s salary package has not yet been inked as negotiations are still on.

Earlier, when Shastri was asked about his choice of bowling coach, he had said Arun but one particular member of CAC was against it. Shastri then apparently said that : “Give me Jason Gillespie then”. Gillespie is widely acknowledged as the best bowling coach in the cricketing fraternity.

The wily cricketer that he was, Shastri knew that BCCI can’t rope in someone like Gillespie, who is already contracted with …read more