He was already advising BCCI under some capacity...the official announcement came later
If the rumours are to be believed, Ganguly is pushing for the job of coach. He has openly said that's his dream job. Depending on Tendulkar and Laxman's backing (Kohli and Dhoni's opinions will also count of course), he may get that in near future. It is important to note that we don't yet have a coach (contrary to what OP is saying). Shastri has been retained as the 'Team Director' for the BD tour. And that decision has been taken very late. We've had a long IPL, and yet BCCI couldn't decide on a coach. It is because there are too many big names who are interested in that job.
They approached Dravid as well but he declined sadly.
Nope, as far as I'm concerned the pitches produced by India during the 07-10 period were considerably flatter than those from 2011 onwards. I don't deny that spinners other than Harbhajan should have got a chance to play at the time when he was dropped, but that doesn't automatically mean he was awful outright. I remember NZ drawing the first 2 tests back in 2010 on absolute joke pitches and then the last one actually turned a bit and we beat NZ in the 3rd test. Then there was that SL tour when Harby bowled on SSC where it was yet another 600 v 600 contest and then had to skip the next test (can't remember the reason) which was spin friendly. It's little things like that that eventually add up and give the impression that Harby wasn't doing well.
Because you know, Ashwin bowled sooooooo much better in that same test right? <_<
When did I say Ashwin did well. Has nothing to do with Bhajji being rubbish.
Because maybe it was more than him simply being rubbish, the pitch, the batsmen (one who played a ridiculous innings), the handling of the bowlers (Bhajji getting half the overs due to India having picked a surplus spinner) could have also had something to do with it.
Yeah this sums it up well, I never said Harby didn't deserve to be dropped, just that he wasn't totally crap at the time at which he was dropped. And to add to what you just said, it's not like Ashwin has completely dominated as a spinner during that time period, so I don't see him as untouchable, although I'd have him in the team as an AR in any case but that's a separate argument. With Ojha's action remodeled, Mishra and Chawla too hit or miss, Karn Sharma not exactly test material just yet and Jadeja not being a frontline spinner, its not as if India have top notch spinners lined up where we can't go back to Harby.
His mother would offer you chai and samosas for that defense of her son but please know that you are wrong.
R Ashwin the fastest to 100 Test wickets in over 80 years | Cricket | ESPN Cricinfo
Leg side filth that should absolutely disgust off spinners around the world. My captain would have knocked my teeth out multiple times in street cricket if I bowled absolute filth like that day after day.
