Well, if you are thinking all the drama surrounding the India coach selection is over, then you might be proved wrong!
Following quite a lot of confusion on Tuesday, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), though denied earlier reports of Ravi Shastri's appointment as the head coach, had confirmed late evening that the former India captain will be at the helm of the team until the 2019 World Cup.
However, it raised a few eyebrows when it was also announced that Rahul Dravid, who is also the coach of India A and U19 teams, and Zaheer Khan would join Virat Kohli's team as batting and bowling consultants, respectively.
While the Cricket Advisory Committee comprising Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman had only held interviews for the role of head coach, the unforeseen appointments of consultants created a stir.
While it cannot be denied that the experience of Khan and Dravid will be valuable to the team, concerns are being raised over the need for too many big names in the support unit. Notably, former India all-rounder Sanjay Bangar is already working as the batting coach while R Sridhar is with the team as fielding coach.
Shastri, who will begin working with the team during India's tour to Sri Lanka later this month while maintaining that he is open to BCCI appointing consultants, asserts he will be the one to take the final call on support staff.
Notably, the World Cup-winning all-rounder, who had worked as Team India director between 2014 and 2016 had shown interest in having his former assistant Bharat Arun as bowling coach.
However, Ganguly, who had a rift with Shastri, reportedly ditched the latter's choice and went on to convince the CAC about Zaheer's appointment as bowling coach.
"The BCCI can certainly bring in guys like Zaheer and Dravid as consultants from time to time. Their experience is invaluable. But as far as a full-time support is concerned, I will need to decide on it because it is me who will be working with them for next two years," Shastri said, as quoted by the Times of India.
He added: "Let's see. I'll first speak with Virat and Sanjay [Bangar] about this and then we can take a call. All I'll say right now is I am entitled to take a call on the support staff, given that I'll be working closely with them over the next two years."
CoA to review selection of consultants
Also, it has now emerged that the appointments of Khan and Dravid have not gone down well with the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA), who reportedly believe the three-member CAC has gone beyond the brief in appointing consultants.
CoA sources are reportedly concerned about Dravid's workload and they also believe in letting the head coach choose whom he wants to work with.
"Rahul has a lot on his plate and we will have to see how he can fulfil all these roles. The CoA and the BCCI office-bearers will take a call on this on Saturday. Ultimately, the head coach has to have the freedom to pick his support team," the CoA source said, as quoted by the Mumbai Mirror.
It would have been ideal if the CAC had decided to give Shastri what he wanted. However, if early signs are anything to go by, it is highly important for the newly-appointed members of the coaching unit to be on the same page.
