Shastri, Arun, Bangar set to re-apply for India coaching jobs

"All three coaches (Arun, Bangar and Sridhar) along with Shastri are applying as they have got positive feelers from the top brass of the BCCI. Since there will be a format of application that each applicant will have to follow, they are waiting for the advertisement to be published," said a senior BCCI official.

Ravi Shastri called his coaching stint with India as his most memorable experience of his three-decade association with Indian cricket.

Former team India director Ravi Shastri along with his support staff -- Sanjay Bangar, Bharath Arun and R. Sridhar – is set to re-apply after Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) advertises national coaching positions in a couple of days.

A senior BCCI official confirmed that Shastri, along with batting coach Bangar, bowling coach Arun and fielding coach Sridhar will send their applications.

“All three coaches (Arun, Bangar and Sridhar) along with Shastri are applying as they have got positive feelers from the top brass of the BCCI. Since there will be a format of application that each applicant will have to follow, they are waiting for the advertisement to be published,” a senior BCCI official privy to the development, told PTI on the condition of anonymity.

According to the BCCI source, just days before Anurag Thakur was elected as the president, the support staff had met him in Delhi. The discussions were said to be “positive” as he had praised their work.

“The BCCI president had made it clear that anyone with proper credentials can apply. Also Thakur has praised the work done by ‘Team Shastri’ in the last 18 months. The young team has enjoyed a fair bit of success overseas. It is only fair that they get equal chance like other applicants,” said the source.

Recently, Shastri told PTI that the “18 months spent with the current team was the most memorable experience” during his over three-decade association with the Indian cricket.

Asked about the criteria with which the candidates will be selected, the source said: “A Level-III degree with considerable experience of coaching senior teams, preferably international sides or someone who has at least played minimum 50 international matches for his country. This is because if we only invite people with coaching degrees, then there will be a lot of unnecessary applications.

“Also someone like Shastri cannot be considered if coaching degree is only consideration whereas he has played 80 Tests for India.”