BCCI keeps suspense over coach appointment; says CAC still deliberating on the matter

The BCCI today denied reports that Ravi Shastri has been appointed coach of the Indian cricket team, saying that the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) was still deliberating on the matter.

Amid media frenzy that Shastri has been named coach till the 2019 World Cup, BCCI Secretary Amitabh Chaudhary stated, "No decision has been made on appointment of new coach. The CAC is still deliberating over it."

"There is no truth in what has been running," he added.

After interviewing five candidates for the job, which fell vacant after Anil Kumble's acrimonious exit, the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) had decided to keep the decision on hold yesterday.

Shastri, who had a successful stint as Team Director between 2014-2016, remains a front-runner for the job.

If he is chosen, Shastri's first assignment will be a Test series against Sri Lanka, beginning July 26 and his appointment is till the 2019 World Cup, to be held in England and Wales.

The CAC had interviewed Shastri, Sehwag, Moody, Richard Pybus and Lalchand Rajput on July 9 but delayed the announcement on the chosen candidate, saying that the matter needs to be discussed with captain Virat Kohli.

CAC member Sourav Ganguly had today made it clear that Kohli's inputs will be sought before the final outcome.