Robin Singh, Tom Moody among others in India coach race
The BCCI will conduct a scrutiny of the applications and the interview process is expected to start from August 13.
The selection process for the positions of head coach and support staff for the India men’s cricket team will move into the second stage of scrutiny and short-listing of candidates after the deadline for sending applications expired on Tuesday evening. The short-listed candidates will be interviewed by the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) comprising former India captain Kapil Dev, former batsman and coach Anshuman Gaekwad and former women’s captain Shanta Rangaswamy.
The BCCI will conduct a scrutiny of the applications and the interview process is expected to start from August 13. According to the new constitution, the interview process of the support staff will be conducted by the national selection committee.
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Incumbent Ravi Shastri and the current support staff have been given automatic entry in the recruitment process. Among others, former India fielding coach and former Mumbai Indians head coach Robin Singh has applied for the chief coach’s position. Former Sunrisers Hyderabad coach Tom Moody and former New Zealand coach Mike Hesson are among other candidates who are expected to be in the fray. Former Sri Lanka captain and Mumbai Indians coach Mahela Jayawardene’s name is also being talked about.
Shastri remains the favourite after captain Virat Kohli publicly backed him ahead of the West Indies series. The two share a strong working partnership. Shastri will be in the West Indies when the interview process is conducted and is likely to do the presentation and interview on Skype.
Applications were also invited for the position of batting coach, bowling coach, fielding coach, physiotherapist, strength and conditioning coach as well as an administrative manager.
Among Shastri’s support staff members, both batting coach Sanjay Bangar and bowling coach Bharat Arun will be seeking extension. For the batting coach’s position, it is learnt that BCCI has received applications from former India batsman and member of the Delhi Capitals’ support staff Pravin Amre and former Karnataka batsman and coach J Arunkumar.
The contract of the current coaching staff expired after the World Cup but they were handed an extension till the tour of the West Indies, starting August 3, where India play three Twenty20 Internationals, three ODIs and two Tests.
If everything goes as per schedule then the name of the next India coach will be known by mid-August. The team will be in the West Indies when the interview process is completed.
Speaking to Reuters, CAC member Anshuman Gaekwad said it was not mandatory for the panel to consult captain Virat Kohli before picking the next coach. “We chose the women’s coach, we didn’t have any inputs from anyone,” he said.
“It’s not compulsory that we have to talk to them or not talk to them, either way. It all depends on the BCCI ... We haven’t had a dialogue still with the BCCI, we have just been intimated.”
Gaekwad said the CAC are looking for a good man manager and a good planner.
