Jonty Rhodes reacts after not being considered for India fielding coach job

The MSK Prasad-led India’s national selection committee may not have considered Jonty Rhodes for India’s head coach’s job but one thing even they cannot take away from the former South Africa’s legendary fielder, is his honesty. Jonty indicated he somehow knew he won’t make the cut as India’s fielding coach even before the official announcement was made.

Reacting for the first time after R Sridhar was reappointed as India’s fielding coach, Jonty said his interview was not as good as the incumbent coach. “I am sure my interview was not as good as the one with the incumbent coach because he has been there for the last couple of years. Players have definitely worked with a plan. And you can see the progress as it just doesn’t happen. I am expecting that from an interview point of view - he kicked my butt,” Jonty said in an event in Chennai.

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Jonty also revealed why he applied for the India fielding coach’s position in the first place, saying that he has been working here for a long time. “As a fielding coach I did a couple of years of coaching with the South African team till the 2007 World Cup. Since then, I have only worked in India. I am way more familiar with the cricketing set up in India than I am in South Africa,” Jonty added.

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Jonty’s name did not even feature in the top three shortlisted candidates. The first-choice was R Sridhar followed by Abhay Sharma and T Dilip. India’s chairman of selectors MSK Prasad, for his part, went on to explain the reasons behind this, saying that the No. 2 and 3 positions were more for the India A and U-19 teams. “We don’t see Jonty (Rhodes) fitting in there (choice Nos 2 and 3), because those roles are more for India A level and NCA,” said Prasad.