Ravi Shastri will continue his role as the wonderfully-named team director after the BCCI confirmed the former cricketer would be a part of the India cricket team until at least the 2015 World Cup early next year in Australia and New Zealand.
The decision, made by BCCI's working committee during a meeting in Chennai on Friday, is very much on expected lines, with Shastri making enough of an impact and helping India overturn that Test debacle into an ODI series victory over England.
"Mr. Ravi Shastri will oversee the activities of the Indian team as a director during the West Indies home series and the Test Series in Australia," a BCCI press release said. :He will be with the Indian Team on a full-time basis during the triangular series in Australia and also for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015.
"The committee expressed its gratitude to Mr. Ravi Shastri for having accepted the request to oversee the activities of the Indian Team as a Director for ODIs and the T20 International during the England tour."
Shastri's confirmation as team director, though, will not undermine Duncan Fletcher's role as coach of India, with the Zimbabwean also remaining in his position until the World Cup, where MS Dhoni's men will start as the defending champions.
The BCCI also confirmed the appointment of assistant coaches Sanjay Bangar and B Arun along with fielding coach R Sridhar.
"Mr. Duncan Fletcher will continue as the coach of the Indian team," the statement added. "The committee also approved the appointment of Mr. Sanjay Bangar and Mr. B. Arun as assistant coaches, and Mr. R. Sridhar as the fielding coach."
That means Trevor Penney and Joe Dawes, India's fielding and bowling coaches, who were given a break after the Test series in England, will not be a part of the India national team, with the duo asked to fulfil their contracts at the National Cricket Academy.
The meeting also saw the working committee commending N Srinivasan, who surprisingly was present at the meeting, for becoming the new ICC president.
The BCCI AGM, which was postponed due to Srinivasan not being able to participate in the running of the BCCI owing to a Supreme Court order, will now be held on 20 November.
