The BCCI finally confirmed Ravi Shastri's appointment as the new coach of the Indian team with former fast bowler Zaheer Khan the bowling coach and Rahul Dravid overseas batting coach for two years
Ravi Shastri. Pic/ AFP
The BCCI today named Ravi Shastri as the new chief coach of the Indian cricket team with former fast bowling great Zaheer Khan being appointed the bowling coach for a period of two years.
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"On Cricket Advisory Committee's recommendation, we have decided to appoint Ravi Shastri as the chief coach while Zaheer Khan will be appointed bowling coach for a period of two years," BCCI acting president CK Khanna confirmed the development to PTI today.
"Rahul Dravid has been appointed as the overseas batting coach. The tenure of Shastri, Zaheer and Dravid will be till 2019 World Cup," Khanna said.
It will be third stint with the national team for 55-year-old Shastri, who was earlier a Cricket Manager during 2007 tour of Bangladesh and then Team Director from 2014 August to 2016 June during which India won Test overseas series versus Sri Lanka, reached the semi-finals of 2015 World Cup and World T20 semi-finals in 2016.
It was learnt that it was a fight between Shastri and Virender Sehwag but it was skipper Virat Kohli's strong recommendation about Shastri's earlier tenure that swung the deal in favour of BCCI's 'Man of All Seasons'.
Zaheer Khan, who last played international cricket in 2014, is considered to be one of finest exponents of swing bowling India has ever produced.
The BCCI had earlier denied reports that Shastri has been appointed coach of the Indian cricket team, saying that the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) was still deliberating on the matter.
Also Read: Virat Kohli will not decide India's head coach: BCCI
Amid media frenzy that Shastri has been named coach till the 2019 World Cup, BCCI Secretary Amitabh Chaudhary stated, No decision has been made on appointment of new coach. The CAC is still deliberating over it. There is no truth in what has been running," he added.
After interviewing five candidates for the job, which fell vacant after Anil Kumble's acrimonious exit, the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) had decided to keep the decision on hold yesterday.
Shastri, who had a successful stint as Team Director between 2014-2016, remains a front-runner for the job. If he is chosen, Shastri's first assignment will be a Test series against Sri Lanka, beginning July 26.
The CAC had interviewed Shastri, Sehwag, Moody, Richard Pybus and Lalchand Rajput on July 9 but delayed the announcement on the chosen candidate, saying that the matter needs to be discussed with captain Virat Kohli.
CAC member Sourav Ganguly had today made it clear that Kohli's inputs will be sought before the final outcome.
For the record, BCCI received 10 CVs -- Ravi Shastri, Virender Sehwag, Tom Moody, Richard Pybus, Dodda Ganesh, Lalchand Rajput, Lance Klusener, Rakesh Sharma (Oman national team coach), Phil Simmons and Upendranath Bramhachari (engineer with no cricketing background).
The position had fallen vacant after former head coach and legendary spinner Anil Kumble resigned from the post before the West Indies series due to differences with skipper Virat Kohli.
Also view photos: Virat Kohli vs Anil Kumble: The rift that led to Jumbo's departure
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