Team India coach selection: BCCI appoints Ravi Shastri, Sehwag stumped

The men-in-blue will now play under new coach as Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) on 11 July has finally selected former Indian cricketer and former Director for the Indian cricket team Ravi Shastri as the head coach of India's men cricket team after much speculations.

The final decision was taken at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) headquarters in Mumbai.

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

He was interviewed by the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), comprising of former cricketers Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar and V V S Laxman, on Monday after being included in the shortlist of six names.

The national governing body for cricket in India had earlier received 10 applications for the post of Indian team coach. Ravi Shastri, Virender Sehwag, Tom Moody, Richard Pybus, Doda Ganesh, Lalchand Rajput, Lance Klusener, Rakesh Sharma, Phil Simmons and Upendra Brahmachari had applied for the post. Out of 10 applicants, only 6 were shortlisted for an interview.

Shastri was also 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.

BCCI senior official Rajeev Shukla on 21 June assured that the Indian cricket team will have a new head coach before this month's tour to Sri Lanka as Anil Kumble stepped down from the post in the wake of his alleged differences with captain Virat Kohli.

Shukla revealed that the BCCI tried their level best to resolve the issue between Kumble and Kohli, but no outcome could be found out and therefore, the former cricketer decided to move on.

"BCCI has tried its best to resolve the issue. The acting secretary, CEO had a discussion with Kumble and Kohli. They consulted the chairman of the COA also. They tried to resolve the whole issue, but ultimately no outcome could be found out. Finally, Kumble decided to move on and he has decided not to continue with the West Indies tour," the Indian Premier League ( IPL) chairman told reporters.

Shastri had also applied for the job in 2016, but legendary leg-spinner Anil Kumble was chosen over him by Board of Control for Cricket in India's ( BCCI) Cricket Advisory Committee ( CAC).

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.

Team India will fly to Sri Lanka for a tour on 26 July.

-With ANI inputs.