45-year-old Anil Kumble, has no international or first-class coaching practise but is India’s primary Test wicket taker with 619 wickets in 132 games.
However, India have appointed him as their new head coach on a one-year deal.
India haven’t had a head coach since Duncan Fletcher left after the 2015 World Cup.
Former Team Director Ravi Shastri has managed India’s latest World Twenty20 and Asia Cup operations.
Kumble formerly served as the Cricket Committee Chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC) from 2012 to 2016 after retiring from cricket.
A panel encompassing former players Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and Sourav Ganguly made the verdict to assign Kumble after an 18-month pursuit.
India won the 2013 Champions Trophy with Fletcher but suffered from a 3-1 defeat in the Test series in England in 2014 and were unsuccessful in defending their World Cup title.
Under Shastri’s leadership they touched the semi-finals of the World Twenty20 in March, with Captain Virat Kohli becoming the ICC number-one ranked T20 batsman.
