'Golden period' ahead for Indian cricket: BCCI prez

Board of Cricket Control for India’s (BCCI) acting president CK Khanna on Wednesday congratulated the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) for appointing Ravi Shastri as the new head coach of the Indian cricket team, and added that he foresees a "golden period" for the Indian cricket team.

"I want to congratulate the CAC members, they have taken a very good decision, it was taken in a timely manner," Khanna told ANI.

"The CAC were working for few months on this issue and they met the captain. Yesterday night, they sent the communication to us. I foresee a golden period for Indian cricket ahead," he added.

Besides Shastri, Rahul Dravid has been appointed as the team's overseas batting consultant and Zaheer Khan as the bowling coach by the three-man CAC team.

The tenure of the three has been fixed till the 2019 World Cup.

Shastri was among ten applicants who applied for the position earlier this month. He was interviewed by the CAC on Monday after being included in the shortlist of six names.

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.

Shastri had also applied for the job in 2016, but legendary leg-spinner Anil Kumble was chosen over him.

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.

IMAGE:  Virat Kohli (centre) Team India Director Ravi Shastri, right, and other players at a practice session

Photograph: PTI