That Robin Singh and Venkatesh Prasad survived two years in their jobs is an achievement in itself for them. They were to be gone long back.
That Robin Singh and Venkatesh Prasad survived two years in their jobs is an achievement in itself for them. They were to be gone long back. In fact, immediately after one of India’s best triumphs overseas — CB Series win in Australia in March 2008.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India was not too happy that the fielding and bowling coaches of Team India had signed up with a couple of franchisees of the Indian Premier League. There was also a school of thought that new coach Gary Kirsten should be given a free hand to choose his own support staff.
The BCCI’s latest decision — to discontinue the services of fielding and bowling coaches — has nothing to do either with their respective IPL contracts nor with Kirsten. In simple terms the Board was unhappy with both the performance of Prasad and Robin.
More precisely, the two coaches were made to pay for poor fielding and bad bowling by the team. “The fielding and bowling was there for all to see. There is no need for us to justify the decision,” a top official said. The decision was taken at the BCCI office in Mumbai on Wednesday when the top management of the Board, including president Shashank Manohar and secretary N Srinivasan, met to decide on the venues for the 2011 World Cup.
Neither Prasad and Robin were aware of the decision. Nor was Kirsten, who expressed ignorance over the Board’s decision. “I’m not aware of it,” the coach told DNA from Cape Town.
Prasad said he was hurt. “I am disappointed and deeply hurt as well. I never saw this coming and nobody spoke to me. I have always given my best and I have been dedicated and committed.”
At this stage, it is learnt that the Board has no plans to appoint replacements. At least for the Australia series MS Dhoni & Co will have to do without bowling and fielding coaches.
The reports that Fannie de Villiers and Andy Roberts being in contention are incorrect.
Robin and Prasad had joined Team India immediately after the 2007 World Cup humiliation and since then their performance has been under scrutiny.
While the emergence of a new breed of pacers, particularly Ishant Sharma, went to the credit of Prasad, Robin hung on to the job as Dhoni’s men went on winning series after series. The two departments were badly exposed in the back to back defeats — in the World T20 and Champions Trophy.
The Board was paying them Rs 2 lakh while someone like Paddy Upton, the team’s mental trainer, is being paid about Rs 6 lakh ($12,000 per month). It was learnt that the two were unhappy about this difference in pay.
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With inputs from Nihal Koshie
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