Agency report

Mumbai, Apr 7: The Indian cricket board on Friday asked former captain Ravi Shastri to take up the position of manager for India's tour to Bangladesh next month.

Shastri has reportedly asked for time till Saturday to decide if he wants to take up the offer, according to a private TV channel.

The manager may have to take up the responsibility of the team's coach as there would be no official post of a coach for the tour, the channel reported.

Meanwhile, BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla was reported as saying that the captain issue would be dealt by a selection panel appointed by the board, which indicates that Rahul Dravid may not be retained as the captain of the Indian cricket team.

I have the experience to contribute to Indian cricket: Shastri

PTI

New Delhi: Former Indian captain Ravi Shastri, who has been offered the job of manager of the Indian team, believes he has the experience and could play a part in putting Indian cricket back on track.

"It did surprise me but having said that if you look at the state of Indian cricket at the moment, I thought it was a good time to put your hand up and asked to be counted," Shastri was quoted as saying by ESPN-Star Sports.

Shastri, who was offered the job yesterday in the BCCI meeting, told the Board that he will have to look at his contractual obligations with a television channel before taking a decision.

"For the years you have played the game and the years you have been part of the media, I do believe I have the experience to contribute," he said.

Shastri also said that the World Cup debacle did not make the Indian team bad overnight.

"You are not going to change the team overnight and I do not believe this Indian team can be bad in seven days. I don't think this Indian team can be a very good team in 14 days," he said.

"There is lot that can be done to make sure that the path is being set for the team to move forward," he said.

Shastri, who was in the committee to select Chappell as coach, also expressed happiness with the Board's offer to the Australian to continue his association with Indian cricket.

"His presentation was outstanding. I am so happy that BCCI has offered Chappell a role in Indian cricket. The man has tremendous knowledge, he might not be happy with the way things have gone for the last year and half, two years. But I still believe he has still a lot to offer for Indian cricket," he said. PTI

Indian Players Welcome BCCI Decision on Shastri

Indian players have welcomed the BCCI's decision to appoint former Indian skipper Ravi Shastri as the manager-cum-coach for the Bangladesh tour starting next month.

At the same time they appeared to be recalcitrant in their opinion on the man even after their fears of him going after them in his report came to be unfounded.

Most of them expressed relief that they won't have to deal with the high-handedness of Greg Chappell anymore, and they believed that Shastri would help the players express better on the field.

A significant remark made by some of the players was that the team would be united after the end of the Chappell saga.

However, the World Cup fiasco has forced, at least, a couple of players in the Indian team to doubt the leadership skills of Rahul Dravid.

"Dravid's captaincy in the limited overs is a bit unimaginative. He tends to be too bookish and theoretical," said a member of the Indian team.

According to one player, the team had actually wanted Shastri to accompany them to the championship in the Caribbean as assistant coach.

However, the player said, "Shastri told us that it wasn't possible at that time as the proposal didn't come from BCCI. Shastri would have spared us from Chappell's high-handedness at the World Cup."

A number of players said that they would perform under Shastri.

One of them pointed out, "It will be after almost two years that we will be getting an opportunity to express ourselves and play free. At least, Shastri will not drop us for one bad performance. At least that statement by Chappell will not hound us anymore."

He added that sometime Chappell would get after some of the players on minor issues.

"We agreed with him that running between the wickets and fielding had to be improved. But sometime if we missed a run or two he would put the entire blame for the team's defeat on one specific player who had missed a single run."

Another player said that with Chappell gone the team would be again united.

"Chappell used to favour certain players because he felt that they were more pliable. Juniors were encouraged to be against the seniors. It was Chappell's way which harmed the unity of the team."