The script is clear and there is only one front-runner now, Ravi Shastri

The surprise element is vanishing. Now stop speculating about the next coach of Indian Cricket team. With Ravishankar Jayadritha Shastri confirming that he is very much in the race, the script is being written according to the expectations of skipper Virat Kohli.

The former Team Director, who lost the race to Anil Kumble soon after India lost in the semifinals of the World T20, not only confirmed that he has applied for the post. At the same time as reported by New Indian Express, he is believed to have rubbished the earlier conditional demands as ‘bull crap’.

Well, it will all depend on how the 55-year-old, admired for his director’s job with the team and raved for his ‘tracer bullet’ comments as a commentator face the Cricket Affairs Committee (CAC) trio of Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and Sourav Ganguly.

The Shastri-Ganguly spat and the role of each member of the CAC

The last named, the ‘Prince of Kolkata’ or the fondly called ‘Dada’ had a turbulent time in handling an angry Shastri after the appointment of Kumble then. Fuming, Shastri blamed Ganguly for ignoring him then and what followed in the open did not augur well for Indian cricket.

If the Kumble-Kohli rift was considered the clash of egos, then one can say that this might have had origins in the Shastri-Ganguly spat.

Has Ganguly mellowed down or has the Prince forgotten the soured relationship, when he said anyone can apply for the post and had he not been an administrator, he could have applied too.

How the interview is going to pan out is anybody’s guess now.

Last time around, Shastri accused Ganguly of not being present, when he appeared for the interview via Skype and the latter had questioned Shastri for not meeting in person. This time around, Shastri will definitely not say that I am holidaying and ‘excuse me from the interview.’ And Ganguly too will not skip the chance to take on Shastri in person.

However, the former Team Director appears to have a strong support in Sachin Tendulkar, who according to certain reports has convinced the former Indian all-rounder to apply.

It is learnt that both Shastri and Tendulkar are holidaying in London and the former’s decision to throw the hat into the ring indeed has sprung up during a meeting of the two there.

All factors considered, VVS Laxman could turn out to be the trump card. Last time VVS, who was believed to have tilted the decision in favour of Kumble, may reciprocate by playing it soft on Shastri. And that is what the script would say in a situation where the ‘superstar’ captain holds sway.

The Kohli-Shastri equation

Ravi Shastri and Virat Kohli are believed to be on the best of terms

Kohli might be busy captaining his side against West Indies, but he definitely has been kept in the loop of the happenings. In Shastri making a late entry, a la Rajinikanth movie style, the Indian skipper’s compelling influence cannot be ruled out.

It’s true that Kohli wants a ‘yes man’ as coach and Shashtri fits the bill.

On the other hand, the former Mumbai star is also the person loved by the administration as he is considered to be a no-nonsense man. The spat with Ganguly being the only exception.

Shastri is also canny enough to be at the right place at the right time. Always remaining as close as it should be with the administration (call it BCCI) the ‘coach-would-be’ has ploughed through the roughs to be in the limelight always.

Here once again the former India all-rounder has done enough to earn the skipper’s faith as well as the administrators and only a ‘mystery’ can deny him the opportunity.

Soon after Dhoni handed over the Test captaincy, Kohli praised Shastri to the core in an interview published by Cricket Monthy.

“He is someone who takes the blows on the chin and keeps moving forward,” the Indian skipper was quoted to have said, hinting at the non-interference attitude of the man he likes the most.

Kohli also wished to have Shastri on board even if he continued as the Team Director. The response from Shastri, “I see myself in him (Kohli),” even depicted the strong relationship between the duo.

The perfect rapport continues even now and if the so-called script satisfies the CAC, then the screenplay sans a villain and with Shastri and Kohli at the helm is successfully carved out, at least until the 2019 World Cup.

Just for your information:

Prominent in the fray for India’s coaching job along with Ravi Shastri are Virender Sehwag, Tom Moody, Lalchand Rajput, Richard Pybus, Craig McDedrmot and Dodda Ganesh. Interestingly, the applying process is open until July 9. A report in Gulf News says that a non-entity has also applied for the post in protest against the treatment meted out to Anil Kumble. Upendra Nath Brahmachari, a mechanical engineer from Nashik, is the applicant. Maybe more is in the offing!