\'Virat Kohli\'s opinion on Ravi Shastri won\'t influence CAC\', says Anshuman Gaekwad

Mumbai: India's next head coach will be selected by the new Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), which will include former India skipper Kapil Dev along with cricketers Anshuman Gaekwad and Shanta Rangaswamy.

While the CAC is set to pick Team India's next coach, Virat Kohli and Co. are scheduled to travel to West Indies where they will play three T20Is, three ODIs and two Tests.

Earlier, Kohli had stated that he was in favour of Shastri continuing as the coach of the Indian cricket team despite the criticism that followed their semi-final ouster from the ICC World Cup.

"The CAC hasn't contacted me yet. If they want my opinion, I'll go and speak to them. With Ravi Bhai, we share a great camaraderie, and will definitely be very happy if he continues. But I haven't been contacted so far," Kohli had said in Mumbai.

The current coaching staff were handed an extension till the tour of the West Indies as their contract expired after the World Cup.

However, former Indian cricketer and CAC member, Anshuman Gaekwad has said that they are not bothered by Kohli's opinion.

The captain can say anything. It doesn't bother us. We are a committee. That's his opinion and the BCCI takes a note of it, not us," Gaekwad was quoted as saying by IANS.

"We have to go with an open mind. There are interviews to be conducted. Lot of people from India and abroad have applied. We have to go there and assess things," Gaekwad added.

Asked if the committee would keep captain Kohli in the loop before selecting the next coach, Gaekwad stated it was not mandatory.

"It all depends on the BCCI. BCCI has to give us guideline and then we will go accordingly. He has already said yesterday (what he wants). When we chose the women's coach, we did not contact anybody. We did it on our own," said Gaekwad.

The CAC will be looking forward for an efficient planner with sound management skills, said Gaekwad when asked about qualities which the committee will be looking in the next coach of Team India.

"Basically, what is important is...I have been a coach. Kapil has been a coach. What is important is man management, planning, and technical expertise."

"These three things are most important for a coach to succeed. The Indian team is doing well. But to get them to do better these are the three things. There are a lot of things. But these are the main things."

"I am waiting for some communication from the BCCI. How to go about it? Some guidelines, when to do it," concluded Gaekwad.