Who all have applied for Team India head coach's role?
The Indian cricket team is looking to pick a new head coach and support staff. Current coach Ravi Shastri has been given a 45-day extension and he will remain at the helm till the tour of West Indies. Interestingly, Shastri got an automatic entry in the application process. As per reports, the board has received over 2,000 applications. Here we decode the developments.
It looks like Shastri has the backing of Virat Kohli. Further, some of the current players are happy with he being at the helm. The 30-year-old Kohli stated that the team will be happy if Shastri continues as the coach. Meanwhile, Anshuman Gaekwad, who is part of the three-member panel headed by Kapil Dev to select the Indian coach, shared his views on Shastri.
"Speaking purely from the results perspective, he has done quite well. So, besides Ravi, all other positions [in the coaching and support staff] in my opinion are open depending on who is applying, their credentials and whether they meet the criteria," said Gaekwad.
Shastri was appointed as India's head coach in 2017. The appointment was made after tenure of Anil Kumble ended prematurely under controversial circumstances. Under Shastri, India won the historical Test series in Australia. Virat Kohli's men also won the ODI and T20I series in South Africa. India bagged the Asia Cup in UAE and Nidahas Trophy in Sri Lanka as well.
Former all-rounder Robin Singh applied for the position of the head coach, as he mentioned India's failure to win the semis. Besides Robin, seasoned coach Lalchand Rajput, who is presently associated with the Zimbabwe cricket team, has also applied for both head and batting coach positions. Reports state that Tom Moody, Mike Hesson, Mahela Jayawardene and Phil Simmons have also sent in their applications.
It remains to be seen whether the committee persists with batting coach Sanjay Bangar. The likes of Praveen Amre and Rajput have made themselves available. Former South African stalwart Jonty Rhodes has applied for the fielding coach role. Also, former Venkatesh Prasad is looking to become the next bowling coach. Current bowling coach Bharat Arun is also in fray.
The Indian cricket team's head coach will be selected by the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC). The likes of Kapil Dev, Gaekwad and Shantha Rangaswamy are part of the committee. Once the head coach is picked, the CAC will consult with others while recruiting the support staff. The last day for application was on July 30.
According to the BCCI, the head coach should have coached a Test playing nation for a minimum of two years or three years with an associate member/A team/IPL side. The applicant should have also played 30 Tests or 50 ODIs, besides being less than 60 years of age. The other coaches need to have played at least 10 Tests or 25 ODIs.
Shastri is the favorite to land the head coach job. The only reason for him to be overlooked is if the CAC wants a certain element of freshness. The other positions could be open and we might see new faces.
