The CAC, comprising World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev, former India head coach Anshuman Gaekwad, and former India women captain Shanta Rangaswamy, finally went ahead with Shastri, a former captain, who edged past the likes of Mike Hesson, Tom Moody, Robin Singh, and Lalchnad Rajput, with Phil Simmons having withdrawn his candidature.

Shastri has held the job of the head coach since 2017, having served as Team Director from 2014-16 before Anil Kumble was appointed to coach the side. Apart from that, he also worked as the team manager in 2007.

While it was revealed by the CAC that Hesson - former New Zealand and Kings XI Punjab coach - and Moody - who has coached Sri Lanka and Sunrisers Hyderabad - stood second and third, respectively, Shastri's acclimatization to the system and his great rapport with the captain Virat Kohli and the rest of the team seemed to have worked in his favor. Robin Singh, a former fielding coach of the national side and at Mumbai Indians did not favor the CAC, and so did Rajput, with experience coaching Afghanistan and Zimbabwe, as well as being the Indian team's manager during the triumphant inaugural World T20 in 2007.

Recently, Kohli had expressed his preference for Shastri to continue as coach, but Kapil clearly stated that the captain was not consulted before deciding on the move. Among Shastri's achievements as head coach since 2017 include India winning their maiden Test series in Australia in 2018-19, reaching the World Cup semi-final last month, and winning a Test match each in South Africa and England