Ravi Shastri confirmed as Team India head coach, Zaheer to be bowling coach

  New Delhi: Board of Control for Cricket in India named former all-rounder Ravi Shastri as the new head coach of the Indian cricket team with former fast bowling great Zaheer Khan being appointed the bowling coach for a period of two years. The interviews for the same were held in Mumbai on Monday by Cricket Advisory Committee, which consists of Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman. However, the announcement was put on hold as the CAC wanted to consult Indian skipper Virat Kohli and wanted him to know how coaches work. But, the Supreme Court appointed Committee of Administrators’ (COA) chairman Vinod Rai directed the BCCI to name Anil Kumble’s replacement by Tuesday evening. Besides Shastri, Virendra Sehwag, Lalchand Rajput, Richard Pybus, Ravi Shastri and Tom Moody were interviewed by the CAC. But Shastri won the race to land India’ top job. 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. Ravi Shastri will be given a two-year contract and he will be in charge till the 2019 World Cup.