BCCI backs Dhoni, reveals plan for new long term coach

Anurag Thakur at the event in New Delhi

The speculation for Indian’s new coach is building for quite some time now but nothing is final yet. Ravi Shastri is currently acting as the Team Director for the Indian team in Australia.

The Board of Control For Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Anurag Thakur today said that the decision on India's coach will be taken soon after Ravi Shastri's term as Team India Director comes to an end after the ICC World Twenty20 in March. He showed complete confidence in captain MS Dhoni to revive India's fortunes in limited-overs cricket.

“BCCI doesn't want to make changes mid season”: Thakur

At a promotional event at New Delhi today, he said told reporters that the BCCI doesn't want to disturb the team set-up at this moment and will meet soon to discuss the matter of a new coach. He said, "Decision on long-term coach will be taken soon but the Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) doesn't want to make changes mid season,"

The BCCI secretary also backed Indian limited-overs skipper Dhoni despite defeat in the last three series. India have also lost in each of the first three ODIs against Australia in the ongoing five-match series Down Under. Thakur also said that bowlers need to improve in the future matches.

“It is not correct to raise questions on Dhoni looking at the performance in only one series”: Thakur 

He said, "It is not correct to raise questions on Dhoni looking at the performance in one series only. Dhoni is one of the most successful captains and India won the 2007 (World T20) and 2011 (ODI) World Cups under his leadership."

The board secretary also added, "The kind of performance we have had from Dhoni and the team under him in the last few years, I think it is unfair to question his leadership,"

The series defeat in Australia is the third consecutive for India under Dhoni, after losing in Bangladesh and against South Africa at home.

Thakur, a member of Parliament said, "It's disappointing that we have lost the first three ODIs [in Australia] but bowling has let us down. The management will discuss as to what went wrong and what measures need to be taken before the Asia Cup and the World T20,"

He also ruled out the possibility of an India-Pakistan bilateral series. He clearly stated that no such series is scheduled in the Future Tours Programme, at least for this season.

He said, "No such window of Indo-Pak series in 2016 as of now. We will play them in the Asia Cup and World T20 but there is no bilateral series scheduled as of now,”