Shastri details his approach for new role

India's new head coach Ravi Shastri has vowed to leave the "unnecessary baggage" behind as he embarks on his new tenure with the national team.

Shastri said he would allow players to have fun as long as they put in the hard work, signalling a more relaxed approach to his taskmaster predecessor Anil Kumble.

And he had no hesitation in conceding that captain Virat Kohli would be "calling the shots".

"My job is to carry on from where I left off. I'm the kind of person who doesn't like to carry unnecessary baggage," Shastri told the Times of India.

Kumble resigned from the post following India's drubbing in the Champions Trophy final at the hands of arch-rivals Pakistan, and said his working relationship with Kohli had become "untenable".

Shastri, 55, said he would be ignoring "the drama" around Kumble's departure as he prepares for his first assignment – a tour of Sri Lanka.

"I'm simply going to press the refresh button and begin from where I left," Shastri said.

He said the keys to a successful tenure would be "communication and clarity of thought".

"When the person you are dealing with is comfortable on those two aspects, things move very smoothly," he said.

"Then of course, there's mutual respect that is very important in every working relationship. It's always a two-way street.

"Players should know where to draw the line, and so should I."

Shastri said he expected to do "very little coaching" in the role, with more of his focus on "fine-tuning and mentoring".

"It's always the captain's team and it is the leader who calls the shots," Shastri said.

"That's how it has always worked. A coach's role is to stay in the background and let the onus be on the players.

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"At the highest level, cricketers are more or less settled. So is it more to do with working on their mental strength, helping build their confidence, helping them stay organised in their daily activities as against tinkering with their style of play.

"It's not about 'tutoring' them about everything and telling them what and what not to do. There's very little coaching at the highest level. It's about fine-tuning and mentoring, about effective communication."

Shastri, a popular TV commentator, enjoyed a stellar 11-year international career, accumulating 6,938 runs and 280 wickets from 80 Tests and 150 one-day internationals.

He was also known for his flamboyant image, attracting off-field attention for his late-night partying.

Shastri insisted that contrary to his reputation, he could be authoritarian if needed.

"As long as there's a level of commitment, the hard yards are being put in and results are showing, why shouldn't there be fun," the former India allrounder said.

"But there's no point in showing authority when it's not required and there's a sense of bonding that works better."

Sri Lanka host India for three Tests, five ODIs and a T20 match, starting on July 26.