After weeks of speculation, BCCI has formally named Ravi Shastri as Team India director for the upcoming tour of Bangladesh.
New Delhi: Ravi Shastri will continue to be Team India’s director on its upcoming tour of Bangladesh. On Tuesday, the BCCI officially named the former Test all-rounder for a short-term role. This will be Shastri’s second stint as Team India boss in Bangladesh. He had stepped in as manager following Greg Chappell’s resignation as coach in 2007.
Shastri has served as director since India’s ODI series in England last summer. His role was extended till the end of the World Cup 2015 when his contract expired. Duncan Fletcher was the head coach alongside Shastri. The Zimbabwean’s contract also expired at the end of the World Cup.
In his ‘second innings’, Shastri will once again be joined by Sanjay Bangar and Bharat Arun, who will continue to serve as the batting and bowling coaches, respectively. R Sridhar was also retained as the fielding coach. Bangar, Arun and Sridhar had also joined the squad in England, replacing Trevor Penney and Joe Dawes. (Also read: Sachin, Sourav and VVS agree to be part of BCCI’s advisory committee)
Shastri’s experience of having played cricket as well as having worked closely with the current crop of players is now expected to further bolster the side.
It remains to be seen if Shastri is given a longer run of at least 18 months. The BCCI has constituted a high-profile advisory committee including Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman.
The Indian cricket team will arrive in Kolkata on June 5 and thereafter depart for Bangladesh for the three ODIs and a solitary Test.
Prasanta Patnaik