BCCI denies appointment of Ravi Shastri as 'head coach'

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly denied the appointment of former Indian all-rounder and team director Ravi Shastri as head coach, said BCCI Secretary Amitabh Chaudhary.

BCCI said that the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) was still deliberating on the matter.

"The Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) is still deliberating over the decision. There is no final decision on the coach as of now. The members - Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and V.V.S. Laxman - are discussing the issue," Amitabh Chaudhary told the media here.

"Let's not pull out things that are not true. I would like to dispel the notion that we are trying to avoid meeting you, so I am updating you on that. But I can't determine the exact time as to when the name will come," he added.

Chaudhary further said that the CAC members were in conversation and what the committee will do or abstain from doing is completely their freedom.

"We are very sensitive on the subject," he added.

Earlier in the day, it was reported that Shastri has been appointed as the new head coach of the men cricket team.

The 55-year-old is among ten applicants who applied for the position earlier this month.

Besides Shastri, Virendra Sehwag, Lalchand Rajput, Richard Pybus, Ravi Shastri and Tom Moody were interviewed by the CAC.

Shastri was the director of the Indian team between 2014 and 2016 during which time he led the Men in Blue to the semi-finals of the World Cup and 2015 World T20.

Ganguly, which is overseeing the interview process of India's head coach, on Tuesday reiterated that they would keep skipper Virat Kohli in the loop before reaching any conclusion.

When quizzed if Kohli should be consulted for the appointment of India's new head coach, the former cricketer insisted that the captain is the most important part in cricket and that his decision holds great value.

The head coach position has been vacant since Anil Kumble's resignation following India's 180-run defeat against arch-rivals Pakistan in the Champions Trophy final at the Oval on June 18.

-With ANI inputs.