New Delhi, Jul 12 (IANS): Hailing the selection of the new coaching set-up of the Indian cricket team with former India all-rounder Ravi Shastri at the helm, the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) on Wednesday thanked the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) for its services.
After much deliberations, CAC members Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and V.V.S. Laxman chose the 55-year-old Shastri as the head coach for a two-year tenure, lasting till the 2019 ICC World Cup.
Shastri had earlier served as the Team Director from 2014 to 2016, when he guided the team to the semi-finals of the 2015 ICC World Cup and 2016 ICC World T20.
Besides Shastri, former India pacer Zaheer Khan and current India A and Under-19 coach Rahul Dravid were selected as the bowling consultant and overseas batting coach respectively.
Accepting the recommendations of the CAC in totality, the Vinod Rai-led CoA thanked the trio for their efforts.
"The Cricket Advisory Committee has made its recommendation regarding the coach. It is a comprehensive recommendation covering all aspects of the coaching requirement of any team. They have applied themselves to the cause at hand with dedication and commitment," the CoA said in a statement.
"This is exactly what we had expected from a committee of such distinguished cricketers. On behalf of all interested in ‘Cricket India', BCCI and the COA, I thank them for the service so willingly rendered by them. We accept their recommendation in totality," Vinod Rai said.
"A coach is a mentor to a team. He is a friend and an elder buddy. He has to actively contribute to building up the morale and harmony in the dressing room. Motivating and guiding the players off the ground is the responsibility of the coach."
The statement added, "The captain is the leader and the gladiator on the ground. Any team is always built around the leadership qualities and professionalism of the captain. He is the face of the team. The coach has to provide backroom support."
The CoA also hoped that the new support staff will help the team reach new heights in world cricket, including the final of the 2019 ICC World Cup.
"It is with this objective in mind that the job of selection of a coach was entrusted to three of the most experienced former players/captains of the Indian team. They have been in the thick of it all themselves."
"Now that they have made the choice, we sincerely feel that the new combination will steward the team to number 1 position in the World Cup," the statement said.
"We need to put the immediate past events to rest and wish the team, the Captain, coach and support staff a very ‘happy Innings' in the run-up to the World Cup. The BCCI and COA wish ‘Team India' all the very best," it added.
Shastri's first assignment with the team will be the upcoming tour to Sri Lanka, which features three Tests, five One-Day Internationals (ODI) and a lone T20 International, starting July 26.