I would have held back Virat Kohli to the No. 4 slot in WC semi-final: India head coach applicant Robin Singh

One of the most coveted jobs in world cricket, the head coach of the Indian cricket team is open to applications. BCCI invited job applications one day after the conclusion of the 2019 World Cup. The position of the head coach and other positions in the coaching staff are up for grabs.

However, current head coach Ravi Shastri and other support staff have been given a 45-day extension. They will travel with the team throughout the tour of West Indies where India will play eight international matches (three T20Is, three ODIs and two Tests).

Their contract will terminate at the end of this tour and India might have a new head coach in September. Top international stars and former coaches Tom Moody, Mahela Jayawardene, and Mike Hesson have all applied for the head coach’s position.

Meanwhile, former India all-rounder Robin Singh has also applied for the same. The left-handed batsman played international cricket for more than 12 years. He featured in 136 ODIs but played just one Test match. However, in the last 15 years, he has held various coaching staff roles.

He was India’s fielding coach for a three-year period between 2007 and 2009. Singh has been associated with the India ‘A’ and Under 19 teams as well. He has also been a part of Mumbai Indians’ support staff in the IPL. Thus, he does have quite a bit of experience.

‘Change could be good for the side’

Ravi Shastri had two different stints with the Indian team in the last few years. he was team director for a couple of years (between 2014 and 2016) before Anil Kumble took over as the head coach for a year. However, Shastri returned in 2017 as the head coach.

India have done really well under Shastri. However, their record in ICC knockouts isn’t great. India have lost in the semi-finals of all three ICC events that India played under the former all-rounder – 2015 World Cup, 2016 World T20 and the 2019 World Cup. Thus, Robin Singh feels change can be good for the side.

“Under the current coach, India has lost in the semifinals 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,” Robin Singh was quoted saying by the Hindu after he sent out his application for the head coach’s role.

Robin also revealed what he would have done if he was in Ravi Shastri’s place during India’s World Cup 2019 semi-final against New Zealand.

“With the ball moving around and India losing Rohit Sharma early, I would have held back Virat Kohli to the No. 4 slot. For that game, I would have picked another top-order batsman, Mayank Agarwal, at No. 3. MS Dhoni would have been No. 5 and he would have got more time. Kohli and Dhoni could have batted together. Then, we could have had the three power hitters, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja coming in,” he added.