BCCI cited language barrier as an issue when sacking me: Joe Dawes

The Board of Control for Cricket in India apparently cited ’language barrier’ as one of the reasons to get rid of bowling coach Joe Dawes — one of the two coaches dismissed after India’s 1-3 loss in England — the other being fielding coach Tervor Penney.

Former Queensland pacer Dawes had been with the team for almost three years before being ‘rested’ for the ODI series against England, which India won 3-2. This allowed the BCCI to bring in Indian coaches Sanjay Bangar, Bharat Arun and R Sridhar into the fold. Dawes and Penney were both given the option of termination of contract or returning as coaches to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) — and both chose the former.

However, it seems odd that after three years with the team, the BCCI cited language barrier as an issue — and it must surely be seen as a lame excuse.

“They thought there was a language barrier issue. But I had things in place to assist me with that. I have a very simple grasp of Hindi but cricket is also a universal language. I would use either the manager or one of the bowlers who spoke English to communicate. I would (also) use Ishant Sharma all the time because he spoke good English,” Dawes was quoted as saying to the Courier Mail .

If English-speaking coaches are an issue for the BCCI, then wonder why they’ve stuck with Duncan Fletcher all this time?

Click here to read the full Courier Mail report.