After Picking Anil Kumble, BCCI Credits Ravi Shastri For Good Job as Director

Although the Board of Control for Cricket India (BCCI) refused to share details of the men in fray for head coach's job, it was clear that Ravi Shastri lost a close battle with Anil Kumble. On Thursday, former India captain Kumble was named head coach of Team India, but only for a year.

With virtually no coaching experience, Kumble's appointment was recommended by the BCCI's Cricket Advisory Committee that included Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman. All four were teammates on the Indian team for several years.

The coach's post was vacant since Ravi Shastri's tenure as the team director ended with India's semi-final exit at the World Twenty20 tournament on home soil earlier this year.

Shastri was the favourite to take over as head coach till Kumble became one of the 57 candidates to apply for the top job. Shastri's proximity with the current bunch of Indian cricketers, including Test captain Virat Kohli, clearly didn't influence the advisory committee.

Kumble was quick to thank the selection panel. "I have had great relationship with Sachin, Sourav, Laxman and Rahul (Dravid). I am thankful to them for giving me a huge responsibility," Kumble said.

Ravi Shastri Always in BCCI's Good Books

Shastri has always been on BCCI's good books. The former all-rounder gave up his lucrative commentary assignments and took on the role of a team director when the Indian team was being thrashed in a Test series in England in August, 2014.

In a statement that was meant to announce the name of the new head coach, the BCCI singled out Shastri's name in its official release to the media on Thursday evening.

"The Board recognises the contribution of Team Director Ravi Shastri under whom India marched to the semi-finals in the ICC World Cup held in Australia and the ICC World T20 India 2016.

"With him as Team Director, India won the Test series in Sri Lanka after a gap of 22 years and also outplayed South Africa 3-0 in a four-Test home series before clinching the Asia Cup," the BCCI said.

Now that Kumble has pipped Shastri, the pressure will be on the former leg-spinner, who is India's most successful bowler having taken 619 wickets in 132 Tests and 337 from 271 one-day internationals.

Interestingly, when the aspiring coaches were interviewed by Ganguly & Co. in Kolkata earlier this week, they were reportedly asked how they could help India win overseas.

Kumble, of course, need not worry about that just now. He will have plenty of advantage as India are scheduled to host 13 Test matches, 8 ODIs and 3 T20Is in a mega home season (2016-17).