Shastri accepts NCA chairman post

Ravi Shastri, the former Indian allrounder, has accepted the offer to take over as chairman of the National Cricket Academy (NCA), the Board of Control for Cricket in India confirmed. Shastri, who had earlier agreed in principle to take up the assignment, informed the board of his decision after taking his media commitments into consideration.

"Ravi Shastri has accepted the offer to take over as chairman," Niranjan Shah, the BCCI secretary, told Cricinfo. "How he manages his media commitments and time is up to him. His primary role is to set up a structure for the functioning of the NCA and he will have a team under him to execute the process."

Shastri takes over from Ajay Shirke, who was made acting chairman of the Bangalore-based academy after Kapil Dev was sacked from the post for signing up with the Indian Cricket League. Kapil had refused to step down as chairman of the ICL's executive board even after the BCCI refused permission for the league.

Shastri took over as the Indian team manager for the tour of Bangladesh earlier this year. However, given his commentary commitments with television channel ESPN-Star Sports, he had declined the offer for an extension.