Ajinkya Rahane and Ambati Rayudu deserved to be in 2019 WC squad: India’s head coach applicant Robin Singh

Former India cricketer Robin Singh has hit out at head coach Ravi Shastri saying the Men in Blue have lost successive World Cup semi-finals under his tutelage besides that of the World T20 in 2016 at home. Singh, who had a late-age career in international cricket, has also served as India’s fielding coach in 2007-09 besides having coaching stints with other junior teams. He has also worked as the coach of Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Over the last 15 years, Singh has seen a rewarding time while coaching various teams.

Speaking to Hindu, Singh, who also has applied for the head coach’s job, said after losing a number of semi-finals, India need to prepare a team for the 2023 World Cup at home adding that a change would be good for the side. His target was Shastri who was India’s team director during the 2015 World Cup as well as the 2016 World T20.

“Under the current coach, India has lost in the semi-finals of two successive ODI World Cups, and in the last four stage of the World Twenty20 championship as well. Now is the time to prepare for the 2023 World Cup and a change could be good for the side,” the 55-year-old Singh said.

playing Shami in semis would have been a better decision, feels Robin

Singh also felt that Ajinkya Rahane and Ambati Rayudu deserved to be in India’s World Cup squad this year. While Rahane was overlooked for the original squad and even as a replacement even after a couple of players got ruled out because of injury, Rayudu was snubbed despite being kept as a standby player and that led to his calling an early retirement. Singh also felt that playing Mohammed Shami in the semi-final would have been a better decision than fielding a spinner.

Known to be one of the hardest working cricketers during his playing days, the West Indian-born Singh had made his international debut at the age of 26 in 1989 but was dropped only to return at the age of 33. He then went on to play as a reliable batting all-rounder for India for five years till the age of 38, scoring over 2,300 runs in 136 matches. He also has one hundred in ODIs. In Tests, though, Singh represented India only once in a game against Zimbabwe in Harare in 1998.