MSK Prasad Reveals Why Jonty Rhodes Was Overlooked For Fielding Coach Role
MSK Prasad-led selection committee short-listed candidates for various coaching positions with Vikram Rathour, Bharat Arun and R Sridhar on priority list for the role of the team's support staff.
Highlights
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Jonty Rhodes' name was not there in the top three picks for the fielding
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The selection committee shortlisted candidates for various posts
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Ravi Shastri backed R Sridhar to continue with his role
Jonty Rhodes was not considered for the post of Indian cricket team's fielding coach as MSK Prasad-led selection committee named three top candidates for the post on Thursday. After the announcement, the BCCI released a statement on their official Twitter handle where MSK prasad lavished praise on current fielding coach, R Sridhar and mentioned that he is one of the best fielding coaches in the world. R Sridhar is likely to continue as the fielding coach, the selection committee named Vikram Rathour as the top contender for the post of batting coach and Bharat Arun as the first option for bowling coach.
Chairman of Selectors, MSK Prasad speaks about R Sridhar's contribution to #TeamIndia and why Jonty Rhodes didn't make the cut. pic.twitter.com/IuWH5FeHI2
— BCCI (@BCCI) August 22, 2019
"R. Sridhar is one of the best fielding coaches in the world. Unfortunately in the World Cup, we had three wicket-keepers in the side and the combination was like that. Otherwise, he transformed the fielding unit so there is no second thought on that," Prasad said at the press conference after the committee short-listed candidates for various coaching positions with Vikram Rathour, Bharat Arun and Sridhar on priority list for the role of the team's support staff.
"We don't see Jonty fitting in there because those roles are more for India A levels and for NCA," he said.
Rhodes was undoubtedly one of the biggest names to have applied for the job, but even head coach Ravi Shastri backed Sridhar who is now in the West Indies with the Indian team.Â
Rhodes' name was not there in the top three picks for the fielding coach's position with Abhay Sharma and T. Dilip are the other two names short-listed along with Sridhar.
"In the last four-five years, the biggest improvement has been in fielding. And the endeavour is to make this side the best fielding team in the world. It's a clear diktat to whosoever wants to play in this team to have spectacular standard of fielding, especially in white ball cricket," Shastri had said after his re-appointment.
India's coaching staff, led by Shastri, was given a 45-day extension after their contract ended with the World Cup. While Shastri was re-appointed last week by the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) comprising of Kapil Dev, Anshuman Gaekwad and Shantha Rangaswamy, the support staff was picked by the national selectors.
(With IANS inputs)
India Cricket Team