Sanjay Bangar appointed India batting coach

Sanjay Bangar has been re-appointed India's batting coach for their four-Test tour of West Indies. Abhay Sharma, who had been with the team in Zimbabwe as fielding coach, has been retained for the series in the Caribbean.

Bangar had been the batting coach when Ravi Shastri had been team director for nearly two years from August 2014. His contract lapsed after the end of the World T20 in April, but was put in charge of the Indian team on an interim basis for the limited-overs series in Harare.

The appointments were made after consulting with India's new head coach Anil Kumble, but a BCCI release was specific that they pertained only to the seven weeks they would be playing against the West Indian teams from July 6. There won't be a bowling coach travelling with the Indian team making Bangar the only one of the previous support staff, which had also included to B Arun and R Sridhar, to be retained.

Regarding the absence of a bowling coach, BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke told Mid-Day: "Anil himself is one of the greatest bowlers. He insisted on not having a bowling coach for the West Indies tour since he is in charge."

Abhay Sharma had previously worked with Rahul Dravid and the India A and Under-19 teams. He was also among the Rest of India staff when they beat Ranji Trophy champions Mumbai in the 2016 Irani Cup.