Reports: Bharat Arun to be appointed bowling coach of India
According to sources, Bharat Arun looks all set to join team India as the full-time bowling coach. This news has come a few days after Ravi Shastri was appointed as the head coach with Zaheer Khan and Rahul Dravid appointed as the batting and bowling consultants respectively.
"The COA has decided to grant Shastri his wish as it is no secret that the head coach will have to work with the bowling coach on a full-time basis and there should be clear communication and understanding between the two individuals. The Cricket Advisory Committee's decision to appoint Zaheer Khan as the bowling consultant (overseas) stands and a call on that will be taken after the new four-member panel of the BCCI meets and decides on matters of appointment and the financial details," said a BCCI senior official while speaking to CricketNext.
"Shastri too has said that he will be more than happy to have the likes of Zaheer come over and share his inputs with the boys as per requirement. It is no case of one man's word against the other. Zaheer wasn't ready for a full-time job and Shastri wanted a full-time bowling coach. Thus, this arrangement," he concluded.
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This is not the first time Arun would be bowling coach of India. The last time he had the job was at the same time during Ravi Shastri's stint as the Director of the side between 2014-16. Shastri and Arun go way back as the duo played together since their Under 19 days in the 1980s.
The source further revealed that Arun would travel along with the side to Sri Lanka for the tour which begins on July 26.
After Zaheer's appointment as the bowling coach, it was revealed that he would be with the team for only 5 months per year. On the other hand, it was also revealed that Dravid would be the batting consultant for the side only for overseas tours.
With Sanjay Bangar continuing to remain as the full-time batting coach of the side, Shastri wanted someone to work with the bowlers full-time as well, hence the appointment of Bharat Arun.
With India achieving reasonable success during Arun and Shastri's previous stint between 2014-16, fans would hope to expect something similar from the side until the 2019 World Cup, after which Shastri's contract would expire.