Sanjay Bangar appointed India's head coach for Zimbabwe tour

Former India and Railways all-rounder Sanjay Bangar was, on Thursday, named coach of the national cricket team for the upcoming tour to Zimbabwe, while there was no place for Bharat Arun and R Sridhar in the support staff.

The Indian cricket team is slated to play three T20s and as many ODIs in Zimbabwe, starting June 11.

The selectors had named a largely inexperienced squad for the tour, which will be led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

"Mr. Sanjay Bangar has been appointed as the Head Coach of the Indian cricket team for the forthcoming tour to Zimbabwe, which commences on the 8th of June comprising 3 One-Day International matches and 3 T20 International matches to be played in Harare," read a statement from BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke.

Abhay Sharma, another former first-class cricketer, was appointed the fielding coach of the team. He replaces Sridhar.

Sharma was working as the India Under-19 fielding coach, under Rahul Dravid.

Employed for a while as the senior team's bowling and fielding coach respectively, Arun and Sridhar's names do not figure in the support staff for the upcoming tour.

The BCCI statement further read, "The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has appointed Mr. Koka Ramesh, a former cricketer and Zonal Secretary of the Andhra Cricket Association as the Administrative Manager of the Indian team for the tour to Zimbabwe."