No decision on new Team India coach yet: BCCI

Sports Desk: The BCCI on Tuesday denied reports of Ravi Shastri being named as the head coach of Team India, saying the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) is still deliberating over the decision.

Earlier it was wildly reported in the media that former India all rounder and captain Shastri, who was team director of the Indian men's cricket team from August 2014 to April 2016, has been appointed as head coach for a two-year period until the end of the 2019 ICC World Cup.

"No decision has been made on appointment of new coach. The CAC is still deliberating over it," BCCI acting secretary Amitabh Chaudhary told reporters on Tuesday.

"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 on Monday.

Ganguly and VVS Laxman sat together inside the Wankhede Stadium while Sachin Tendulkar joined via video conference from the UK. Five candidates - namely Ravi Shastri, Virender Sehwag, Tom Moody, Richard Pybus and Lalchand Rajput were interviewed with Sehwag being the only one physically present at the BCCI Headquarters in Mumbai on Monday.

Shastri was overlooked by the CAC for Anil Kumble last June, and subsequently had a public spat with Ganguly. At the time, Shastri alleged that Ganguly had not been present when he was interviewed via Skype, to which Ganguly replied that Shastri should have taken the interview more seriously and been in India to apply in person before the CAC.

Last month, Shastri threw his name into contention for the vacant coach's role after the BCCI, in the aftermath of Kumble's resignation, decided to invite more applicants despite criticism by the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators.

The BCCI in May, just days ahead of the Indian cricket team's defence of the ICC Champions Trophy title, advertised for the head coach's job but "endorsed and extension" to Kumble's one-year deal. Kohli denied reports of a rift with Kumble, who proceeded to step down as head coach after a year in charge, because his "partnership" with the captain was "untenable". In his statement of resignation, Kumble said that the BCCI had "attempted to resolve the misunderstandings" but felt it was "best to move on".

Kumble's resignation came less than two days after India were beaten by Pakistan in the Champions Trophy final. Under Kumble, India won Test series against West Indies, New Zealand, England, Bangladesh and Australia to cement their place as the No 1 team in the ICC Test Championship, as well as limited-overs series over New Zealand and England.

Interestingly, Shastri had been vocally critical when the CAC had last year approved Kumble for the coach's role.

Times of India

risingbd/Dhaka/July 11, 2017/Amirul