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Ravi Shastri got top job despite better presentations by Moody, Pybus

Shastri has no experience of coaching any team, but with his short stint as Team Director of India prior to the appointment of Anil Kumble last year, he became a popular figure in the dressing room.

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Tom Moody (L) & Ravi Shastri
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Did the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) exceed its brief? Did Ravi Shastri get the job of Team India's head coach despite not making the best presentation from the set of shortlisted candidates?

Both these answers are yes, according to a top Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) official.

The three greats of Indian cricket --- Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman --- were told specifically to pick only head coach of Team India. The high-profile panel was expected to pick the best of the lot based on four basic parameters: technical aspects of coaching, vision to take Indian cricket forward, past experience of working with top players and being a great motivator.

Instead, the CAC probably relied on only the last aspect while picking Ravi Shastri.

If top sources are to be believed, it was Australian Tom Moody who made the best presentation before the CAC in the interview process in Mumbai on July 10.

And hold on, Shastri was apparently not even the second best. It was Richard Pybus who impressed the CAC most after Moody.

"Going by the best person for the job, Moody should have been made Director of overall coaching staff with Pybus as chief coach. But then it was in the hands of these three gentlemen to decide and they picked what they probably thought was best for Team India," the BCCI source said.

Shastri has no experience of coaching any team, but with his short stint as Team Director of India prior to the appointment of Anil Kumble last year, he became a popular figure in the dressing room.

"It was his ability to lift the morale of the team even during a bad phase that made him popular inside dressing room," said the official. "More than that, he never interfered in the private life of any player and just limited himself to on-field activities."

The other question that pops up, then, is why former players Zaheer Khan and Rahul Dravid were also recommended by the CAC along with Shastri.

"Who doesn't know that Shastri is not technically equipped to coach at the top level. It was believed that he needs people around him to take care of on-field coaching. And that's why these names were recommended," the source said.

It's a separate matter that Shastri had given the name of his "good friend" Bharat Arun for the job of bowling coach along with his CV to the BCCI. "Even the team players, especially the pacers, told us how comfortable they felt with Arun," the BCCI official added.

DNA has learnt that pacers have told top board officials that Arun never compromised on speed during his stint with the team.

"He never asked anyone to drop pace and concentrate on line and length only, like his predecessors," two of the current fast bowlers in Team India apparently told the top officials.

It has also come to light that one of the CAC members did discuss Zaheer's name with skipper Virat Kohli during Champions Trophy in England and "he was happy with the choice".

"Dravid's name, we all understand, came because Shastri had no favourites as far as batting coach was concerned. Moreover, Dravid's recommendation is only for overseas tours and for a specific purpose of helping young batsmen adapt quickly to challenges there," the BCCI official said.

Zak, Dravid role put on hold

Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (COA) was in the know of things and that's why CAC's recommendation of Zaheer and Dravid has been put on a hold for now.

DNA has learnt that this matter will be discussed between COA chief Vinod Rai and Shastri during their lunch meeting in Mumbai on Monday.

"Shastri will be coming back from his overseas trip on Monday morning and he is slated to meet Rai over lunch the same day. The names of batting and bowling coaches are likely to be formalised during this meeting," said an insider.

Meanwhile, it seems pretty simple why Virender Sehwag was not considered for the top post. "He should be roped in, as and when possible, for motivational lectures in the dressing room. To be considered as coach, he surely needs time and experience," the BCCI official said.

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