'Full-time coach after World T20'

BCCI to rethink its policy on DRS

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Anurag Thakur said they will be appointing a full time national coach after the World Twenty20 and put his faith on India’s limited overs captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni following the team’s series loss in Australia.

For now, Ravi Shasti has been appointed as team director till the World T20. But with India playing 13 Tests in the coming season, Thakur said the board would be meeting soon to appoint a full time coach.

 "Decision on long-term coach will be taken soon but the BCCI doesn't want to make changes mid season. We also need to see the future. There has been a demand for a full-time coach for a long time. The decision will be taken in consultation with the advisory committee,” Thakur told reporters on the sidelines of ICC’s CSR programme in association with UNICEF.

Thakur also backed Dhoni and said he should not be judged on the basis of one series. India, who are currently touring Down Under, have lost the five-match ODI series following their three straight losses. 

“The kind of performance we have had under the captaincy of Dhoni in the last eight-nine years, I think it's unfair to question his leadership after just one series.  Dhoni is one of the most successful captains of the country. Under him, we won the World Cup in 2007 (T20) and 2011 (ODI). Team India rose to number one both in Tests and ODIs under his leadership,” he said.

Thakur, however, expressed concerns over India’s dismal bowling and said they would be taking corrective actions before the World T20 begins in India from March 8 to April 3.
“It's disappointing that we have lost the first three ODIs. The bowling has let us down. The management will discuss as to what went wrong and what measures need to be taken before the Asia Cup and the WorldT20,” he said.

DRS
The contentious Decision Review System is in focus again following a few umpiring howlers in the ongoing ODI series between India and Australia, with Thakur stating that they will “discuss” on its conditional use once the team is back.

India were hurt during the first ODI when George Bailey clearly nicked one off Barinder Sran to Mahendra Singh Dhoni off the first ball and was ruled not out. Australia were 21 for two then and Bailey scored a century to win the match.

In the third match also, Bailey was adjudged not out due to lack of DRS. Thakur said that they may give it a shot if the ball tracking technology to determine leg before decision is taken out of the equation.

When Thakur was asked about it at an ICC promotional event here, he said: “I maintain that DRS in its current form is not foolproof. But if we leave aside the leg before part, we can deliberate on the conditional usage of technology. Once the players are back from Australia we will discuss the issue with them.”