Indications emanating from the top echelons of the Board of Control for Cricket in India are that the fielding coach will get the boot.
Bowling coach Venkatesh Prasad’s position also under threat
MUMBAI: Robin Singh is unlikely to retain his place in the Indian team in the Gary Kirsten dispensation. Indications emanating from the top echelons of the Board of Control for Cricket in India are that the fielding coach will get the boot. The position of Venkatesh Prasad is also shaky but the bowling coach may eventually survive the axe because of the impressive performance of the bowlers during the Australia tour. The likely axe on the two members of the back room staff is, it is learnt, not entirely for cricketing reasons though.
Highly-placed sources in the Board say the BCCI wants to give a free hand to the new coach to form his own team. Team’s physio John Gloster and trainer Gregory King have already resigned and the Board has already indicated that there is no need for an assistant coach (Lalchand Rajput). This means under Kirsten, the Men in Blue will have completely new support staff. “We want to go for a revamp. Under Kirsten we want to have a new team,” a top Board official told DNA. A decision on the issue is expected in a couple of days.
At the same time, there is a talk in Board circles that both Robin and Prasad may have inadvertently rubbed a few officials on the wrong side by making themselves available for the the IPL franchisees. Neither of them is believed to have taken permission from the BCCI and a section of the Board is not too pleased with their action. Robin has signed up with Hyderabad franchisee while Prasad has struck a deal with the Bangalore team. “They should have consulted us,” one Board official told DNA.
Contacted, the two coaches claim the BCCI was aware that they have enrolled themselves in the IPL coach panel.
“It was all in the open but I don’t want to talk about it,” Robin, who will be coaching the Hyderabad team, said, claiming he had informed the Board officials. Prasad said there was never any confusion that they would be joining the franchisees.
When contacted, Lalit Modi, the chairman of the IPL, said he is not aware if a section of the Board is unhappy with the two former players. “I’m not aware of that but it should not be an issue. When the players can take part, why not the coaches?” he asked.
Robin and Prasad have been with the team since India’s tour of Bangladesh although they don’t have an official contract with the BCCI. Both get a salary of Rs 2 lakh per month. They will, of course, be entitled for a much bigger pay packet for their IPL jobs.
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