NEW DELHI: Former Indian cricketer Ravi Shastri has been reappointed as head coach of the men’s cricket team, a cricket board selection panel announced Friday.
Publicly backed by Indian captain Virat Kohli, 57-year-old Shastri was always the frontrunner.
He saw off competition from former Indian all-rounder Robin Singh, former team manager Lalchand Rajput, former New Zealand coach Mike Hesson, Australian cricket coach Tom Moody and former West Indies coach Phil Simmons.
Simmons had backed out of the interview last minute, news agency PTI reported.
The remaining candidates were interviewed by a three-member cricket advisory committee panel which included World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev, ex-national coach Anshuman Gaekwad and ex-women’s team captain Shantha Rangaswamy.
Dev announced the decision at a Friday press conference.
After missing out on the coach’s job to Anil Kumble in 2016, Shastri was selected as the team’s head coach a year later for a term extending to the end of the 2019 World Cup.
He was given a 45-day extension for the current West Indies tour.
Shastri coached India to a historic first-ever test series win in Australia earlier this year following Test losses in South Africa and England.
Since he took the job, India have won 13 Tests out of 21, 25 out of 36 T20 matches and 43 out of 60 ODIs.
Shashtri was an all-rounder best known as part of the India’s World Cup-winning squad in 1983 and his man of the series performance in India’s World Championship triumph in Australia in 1985.
He was also team director from 2014 to 2016.
Shastri played 80 Tests and 150 one-day internationals for India before becoming a successful TV commentator.
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Ravi Shastri reappointed India’s cricket coach
Ravi Shastri reappointed India’s cricket coach
- Publicly backed by Indian captain Virat Kohli, 57-year-old Shastri was always the frontrunner
- Phil Simmons had backed out of the interview last minute
Ronaldo wants to reach 1,000 goals before ending his soccer career. He’s up to 956
- Ronaldo moved onto 956 career goals by scoring twice for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League on Saturday
- His tally includes a men’s international record of 143 goals for Portugal, which Ronaldo is set to lead into next year’s World Cup
DUBAI: Cristiano Ronaldo has expressed his determination to score 1,000 goals by the end of his career.
And the 40-year-old Portugal superstar is in no doubt he’ll get there.
“I will reach that number for sure, if no injuries,” Ronaldo said late Sunday at the Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai, where he was named as the best player in the Middle East.
Ronaldo moved onto 956 career goals by scoring twice for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League on Saturday. His tally includes men’s international record of 143 goals for Portugal, which Ronaldo is set to lead into next year’s World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
By the time the World Cup begins, Ronaldo — a five-time world player of the year — will be aged 41.
“I am still very motivated to carry on,” the former Real Madrid, Manchester United and Juventus striker said on stage after receiving his award. “It doesn’t matter (where) I play — Middle East, in Europe — I always enjoy to play football, to win trophies, to score goals and I want to carry on.
“You know what my goal is: I want to win more trophies and I want to reach the number that you will all know.”
The World Cup is one of the few trophies missing from Ronaldo’s collection. He won the European Championship with Portugal in 2016.
And the 40-year-old Portugal superstar is in no doubt he’ll get there.
“I will reach that number for sure, if no injuries,” Ronaldo said late Sunday at the Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai, where he was named as the best player in the Middle East.
Ronaldo moved onto 956 career goals by scoring twice for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League on Saturday. His tally includes men’s international record of 143 goals for Portugal, which Ronaldo is set to lead into next year’s World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
By the time the World Cup begins, Ronaldo — a five-time world player of the year — will be aged 41.
“I am still very motivated to carry on,” the former Real Madrid, Manchester United and Juventus striker said on stage after receiving his award. “It doesn’t matter (where) I play — Middle East, in Europe — I always enjoy to play football, to win trophies, to score goals and I want to carry on.
“You know what my goal is: I want to win more trophies and I want to reach the number that you will all know.”
The World Cup is one of the few trophies missing from Ronaldo’s collection. He won the European Championship with Portugal in 2016.
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