Ryan Harris feels Jason Gillespie could have been an ideal coach for India

Until Ravi Shastri applied for the post of the head coach of Indian cricket team, and became the obvious front-runner, there were several other names that cropped up for the contention of the coveted post. Among those were also Tom Moody and Virender Sehwag. Now that Shastri has been made the coach, former Australian cricketer Ryan Harris has made an interesting revelation.

The 37-year-old told that former Australian cricketer Jason Gillespie could have been a befitting option for the post of India’s head coach. The right-arm pacer, who has taken 259 Test wickets in 71 matches and 142 wickets in 97 ODIs, had considered applying for the post of India’s head coach but didn’t.

“Jason Gillespie would have been a fantastic coach for India. I have worked with him and played with him. From my experience, he would have been great in that role,” Harris told Hindustan Times. In fact, Gillespie himself admitted that in the near future, when there is a vacancy again, he would like to apply for the post of the team’s head.

“I think it would have been a wonderful job and I congratulate Ravi Shastri on getting that job, maybe one day in a couple of years that’d be something I’d seriously consider,” Gillespie was quoted saying by cricket.com.au

All the appointments are finally made

Meanwhile, ever since Ravi Shastri was appointed as the head coach, it has been widely assumed that the plot was pre-planned, and that Kohli, who shares a good rapport with Shastri, had scripted Kumble’s exit and Shastri’s subsequent appointment. Ever after Shastri’s appointment, there was a lot of confusion on who would constitute India’s extended coaching staff.

But after much confusion, it was finally officiated on Tuesday that former India international Bharat Arun has been appointed as the bowling coach. Arun, it can be recalled, was the team’s bowling coach from 2014 to 2016 as well, a period during which Shastri was the Team Director.