BCCI react to Test debacle in England, appoint Ravi Shastri as team director for ODI series

New Delhi: Cracking the whip following India's shambolic Test series against England, The BCCI today virtually sidelined coach Duncan Fletcher by appointing former captain Ravi Shastri as the Team Director while giving a "break" to bowling coach Joe Dawes and fielding coach Trevor Penny for the upcoming one-day series.

News Alert: Ravi Shastri, Sanjay Bangar, Bharat Arun, R Sridhar join India support staff for ODI series. Full Story: http://t.co/WaZWrJuchH

— BCCI (@BCCI) August 19, 2014

Under pressure to act after India's disastrous performance in the Test series, the BCCI also appointed former players Sanjay Bangar and Bharat Arun as assistant coaches and R Sridhar as the fielding coach as it revamped the team management. While Fletcher will continue as the head coach of the team, the shake-up is a clear indication that his wings will be clipped with Shastri taking over as the Director for the one-day series beginning from August 25.

This is not the first time that Shastri has been appointed as a part of 'Damage Control' exercise. In 2007 after the World Cup debacle in the West Indies, the former India all-rounder was appointed as a 'Cricket Manager' for the tour of Bangladesh after Greg Chappell was sacked.

"In culmination of the discussions among all the office-bearers of the BCCI over the last couple of weeks, the BCCI has decided to avail the services of former India captain, Mr. Ravi Shastri, to oversee and guide the Indian cricket team for the forthcoming one-day international matches against England," a press release issued by the BCCI said. "Mr. Duncan Fletcher will continue as Head Coach while Ravi Shastri will be the overall in-charge of Cricket affairs of the Indian Team."

The support staff will have a more Indian look with Kings XI Punjab chief coach Sanjay Bangar, India U-19 coach Bharath Arun and colts fielding coach M V Sridhar being roped in place of Dawes and Penney.

"In their continuing efforts to re-energise the support to the team, the BCCI has given a break to the bowling coach Mr Joe Dawes and the fielding coach, Trevor Penney, for the one-day series and appointed Sanjay Bangar, former Indian all-rounder, and former India fast bowler Bharath Arun as the Asst. coaches of the team. "R Sridhar will join the support team as the fielding coach for the one-day series."

52-year-old Shastri, has played 80 Tests and 150 ODIs for India scoring 3830 and 3108 runs respectively. He also has 151 Test and 129 ODI wickets.

India's humiliating 1-3 defeat in the Test series had prompted many former cricketers to call for Fletcher's immediate ouster, saying that he had not contributed anything. The former cricketers had also questioned the leadership abilities of captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni who has a poor track record in overseas conditions.

The BCCI, however, has not disturbed Dhoni for the time being. Under Fletcher, India have now lost 13 Tests outside the sub-continent with seven in England, four in Australia, one each in New Zealand and South Africa. 41-year-old Bangar had played 12 Tests and 15 ODIs in early 2000, with his gritty half-century at Headingley opening in overcast conditions in a memorable victory still remembered.

Bangar, considered to be one of the brightest young coaches, had guided an unheraldedKings XI Punjab team to the final of the IPL and has been widely acclaimed as a shrewd tactician with brilliant knowledge about the domestic set-up and its cricketers. Karn Sharma, a member of current India ODI team had made his debut under Bangar's captaincy at the Railways and has attributed a lot of his success to him.

Having only retired from active cricket a year earlier, Bangar is believed to have the best ringside view and is also seen as a future coach of the Indian cricket team by many.

Bharath Arun had opened the bowling with legendary Kapil Dev in 2 Tests and 4 ODIs in the mid 80's without much success. Arun, who will probably be the bowling coach, has been heading the NCA's bowling unit for a close to seven years now and is best known for guiding the Unmukt Chand-led India U-19 team to World Cup victory in Australia back in 2012.

His record while coaching the senior teams has not been great as under his tutelege, the Bengal team relegated from Ranji Trophy's Elite to Plate Group back in 2007-08 domestic season.

Fielding coach R Sridhar, a former Ranji Trophy player for Hyderabad, has been India U-19's fielding coach and the junior players swear by his work ethic. He has also been a fielding coach with the Kings XI Punjab in the IPL .

BCCI joint-secretary Anurag Thakur had told PTI on Monday, "What I feel is that a former cricketer of repute should be working with Mr Fletcher. It necessarily does not have to be a coaching role but some well-defined role. We have a lot of former greats and they have an idea about the psyche of the Indian players. The focus will be on those former players who have done well in overseas conditions.

"Since they have been there and done that, they can talk to the players, understand their technical problems. They can act as a bridge between the players and the chief coach. I believe a reputed former Indian player is necessary to improve the communication."

The BCCI press-release:

In culmination of the discussions among all the office bearers of BCCI over the last couple of weeks, the BCCI has decided to avail the services of former India captain, Mr. Ravi Shastri to oversee and guide the Indian cricket team for the forthcoming one day international matches against England. Mr. Duncan Fletcher will continue as Head Coach while Ravi Shastri will be the overall in- charge of cricket affairs of the Indian Team.

In their continuing efforts to re-energise the support to the team, the BCCI has given a break to the bowling coach Mr Joe Dawes and the fielding coach, Mr Trevor Penny for the one day series and appointed Mr Sanjay Bangar, former Indian all rounder and former India fast bowler Mr Bharat Arun as the Asst. coaches of the team. Mr R.Sridhar will join the support team as the fielding coach for the one day series.

Boys will be re-energised under Shastri, says BCCI secretary Patel

BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel today said that the Indian team will be re-energised under Ravi Shastri, who has been appointed as the Team Director for the ODI series against England.

"We are quite sure that the boys will be re-energised under the guidance of Shastri. His on-the-field and off-the-field knowledge will be very helpful to bring the team back into the game," the BCCI secretary Patel told reporters today.

"Since last two weeks BCCI is discussing the entire issue. As a combination of much debate and discussion yesterday, the decision was taken to appoint Shastri," said Patel.

BCCI has also given break to the bowling coach Mr Joe Dawes and the fielding coach, Trevor Penney, for the one-day series and appointed Sanjay Bangar, former Indian all-rounder, and former India fast bowler Bharat Arun as the Asst. coaches of the team.

"At the moment, two other coaches have also been replaced by three Indian coaches as you know. This will obviously bring some fresh air into the team," he said.