Despite Cricket Advisory Committee’s (CAC) recommendation for bowling coach, Zaheer Khan, the new Head Coach Ravi Shastri had his own core team in mind. Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) bowed down to Shastri’s choices and made Bharat Arun the bowling coach of India till World Cup 2019. As soon as the news came out, screenshots of their statistics started pouring in as Team India fans were not happy with Shastri’s propaganda, that too just days after his controversial appointment as Head Coach. CAC comprising of India’s legendary cricketers Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman were ignored while making the bowling coach selection and so were their recommendations.
Lets’s take a look at their statistics individually.
Bharat Arun statistics-
Bharat Arun career statistics courtesy: ESPNcricinfo
Zaheer Khan statistics-
Zaheer Khan career statistics courtesy: ESPNcricinfo
As you must have noticed, there is a huge difference in Zaheer and Bharat’s statistics. Zaheer being India’s bowling spearhead under Sourav Ganguly’s captaincy who was often compared to Pakistan fast bowler Wasim Akram for his swing bowling skills.
On the other hand, Arun has just played 4 ODIs and 2 Tests for India whereas Zaheer has featured in 200 ODIs and 92 Tests. Zaheer is way successful when it comes to international cricket.
Even when we compare Zaheer’s First-Class and List A record with Arun (ignoring the International records) the former is way ahead statistically.
Though performing for the team and coaching someone is a different task altogether. Arun has coached before, he recently agreed to coach a Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) team as well. Arun has had an influence in the Indian team as well and has nurtured young talent. Arun was also with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) whereas Zaheer captained the Delhi Daredevils side which was filled with overseas fast bowlers.
As Shastri says he had a ‘core team’ in his mind when he became the Head Coach of India, as an Indian cricket fan we hope that the core team works out well for India to win the World Cup 2019.
