The daggers are out for Ravi Shastri

India's cricket board had last year made a U-turn on naming former paceman Zaheer Khan and batting great Rahul Dravid as consultants to the national Test team with the like of Sachin Tendulkar, Saurav Ganguly and VVS Laxman saying they were disappointed to hear that they have forced the duo on coach Ravi Shastri.

Many media reports had claimed that Anil Kumble and not Shastri was the first choice for India head coach. It seems that after 3-1 Test series defeat against England away from home, the daggers are finally out.

Ganguly, while talking on India TV was asked by the anchor as to why Rahul Dravid and Zaheer Khan did not assume the roles of batting and bowling consultants respectively to aid Shastri, like the BCCI had announced in July last year.

“I don’t know why it did not happen because it wasn’t our responsibility,” Ganguly replied. “Rahul Dravid had been asked to become a batting consultant and he had even agreed. But then he spoke to Ravi and I don’t know what happened after that.”

Rahul Dravid, known as ‘The Wall’ for his technique and solidity was one of India’s best batsman while playing away from home. Not taking his service has come back to bite Shastri following the fourth Test.

Ganguly, who along with Tendulkar and Laxman, formed the CAC (Cricket Advisory Committee), reiterated that there was intervention from the Committee of Administrators while appointing head coach.

“The Committee of Administrators also then interfered with the coach selection and we just got out of it. So, it’s difficult for me to say why Rahul Dravid did not become the batting consultant. But if Ravi Shastri was given the responsibility, after consulting Virat Kohli, then he has to fulfil that responsibility and improve the team.”

Shastri had said before the series that this team has the “potential to be one of the best travelling teams” in the world. Former opener Virender Sehwag brought up that remark while talking on the same television programme and said: “The best travelling teams are made by performances on the ground and not by sitting in the dressing room and talking about it. You can talk big however much you want but unless the bat does the talking, and the ball does the talking, you cannot have a good travelling team.”