Dhoni, Yuvraj mentoring the team in absence of coach: Sanjay Bangar

Anil Kumble was scheduled to be with the team on the tour of West Indies but he resigned just days before the series. MV Sridhar is supervising the team through the 5-match series and the one-off T20. The first ODI in Trinidad was abandoned due to heavy rain after only 39.2 overs were possible in the game.

Sanjay Bangar is along with the team in the capacity of a batting coach along with R Sridhar who is the fielding coach. Speaking to the media, Bangar said that experienced duo of MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh have filled-in in the absence of a coach to guide the younger players in the squad. Someone like Rishabh Pant will learn immensely as he is an understudy to MS Dhoni for this tour, though he will get his chances as a pure batsman soon.

“Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virat Kohli are doing a lot of things behind the scene. They are helping, guiding the players. It’s not only the coaching staff, but (Dhoni and Yuvraj) are mentoring the team. It’s the wealth of ideas which is of benefit through interactions,” Bangar said.

Experience of Dhoni-Yuvraj paramount

Though there have been cries of searching for a replacement of Dhoni and Yuvraj but the think-tank of India feels that the duo still has loads to offer to this dynamic Indian team. Both collectively have played almost 600 games between themselves and that knowledge and experience is what the team needs in crunch situations. Both may not be the same players anymore but have Kohli’s backing as the skipper believes that both are the pillars of the Indian team.

The CAC comprising of Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman, have to find the right man to coach India before the Sri Lanka series which starts from July 26. BCCI has now extended the application deadline to July 9. Virender Sehwag and Tom Moody are said to be the frontrunners to be appointed with one of the toughest jobs in India.