Former India all-rounder and team director, Ravi Shastri, has been appointed as India head coach until the 2019 World Cup.

Shastri will be joined by Zaheer Khan, who will be India’s bowling coach, while Rahul Dravid has been appointed as batting consultant for the side’s overseas tours.

The decision was made after the BCCI’s cricket advisory committee, made up of former India legends Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman, was forced into making a decision on the vacant India coaching position.

In a statement the BCCI said: ‘Mr Shastri has been the team director in the past and brings with him a wealth of experience, both as player and as coach.

‘Mr Khan is a contemporary cricketer who assumed the mentoring role to a young fast bowling unit even during his playing days with India.

‘His inputs will be of immense value to our young fast bowlers, who have shown tremendous potential in the last couple of years.

‘As the Indian team is to play Test cricket overseas in the next two years, Rahul Dravid’s expertise as batting consultant will be immensely helpful for youngsters.

‘The Board would like to wish these gentlemen the very best and they, along with the players, will take Indian cricket to new heights together.’

Shastri will replace Anil Kumble, who resigned after India’s defeat to Pakistan in the Champions Trophy final after the ex-India coach exposed the issues he had with India captain Virat Kohli.

India played the West Indies in an ODI series, without a head coach, which they won 3-1.

The new head coach was selected over five other possible candidates – Virender Sehwag, Tom Moody, Richard Pybus and Lalchand Rajput – who were all interviewed for the position.

When applications had opened initially, the 55-year-old refrained from applying, but handed in his application once Kumble took himself out of the equation. Shastri had applied back in 2016, but disappointingly lost out to Kumble.

India performed well while Shastri was the director. After being appointed in August 2014, India  reached the semi-finals in the 2015 World Cup and the 2016 World T20. They also climbed to No 1 on the Test rankings for eight weeks until February 2016.

Shastri and Co’s first assignment will be the Test series in Sri Lanka, which begins on 26 July.