Minutes after taking over the mantle of the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI’s) president and secretary, the combination of Anurag Thakur and Ajay Shirke, respectively, set in motion the process of finalising India’s coaching staff.
The BCCI has invited applications for the post of head coach and three assistant coaches. The deadline for applying for the posts is June 10. The announcement, made by Thakur is his first media interaction as the BCCI chief, in a way confirmed that Ravi Shastri, who worked as the team director for 18 months till India’s World Twenty20 campaign will come to an end, is unlikely to travel with the team for its limited overs’ tour to Zimbabwe next month.
>Read: Wanted, a new coach for Indian cricket
Thakur clarified that all the existing members of the coaching staff – Shastri and assistant coaches R. Sridhar (fielding), B. Arun (bowling) and Sanjay Bangar (batting) will have to apply for the post if they wish to continue.
“It is open for everyone whether the current support staff, or from outside India or within India, anyone who is keen a coach the Indian team or take other responsibilities – bowling, batting, fielding coach or the head coach. All these positions would be available,” Thakur said.
Over the last year, despite Shastri and Co being with the team, the BCCI is understood to have touched based with several high-profile coaches. However, most of them, including Ricky Ponting, Justin Langer and Daniel Vettori, are understood to have been averse to take charge on a full-time basis.
The fact that the BCCI had been approaching overseas cricketers based on the recommendations of the seniors in the team also didn’t go down well with aspiring coaches in India. It prompted the BCCI hierarchy to invite applications.
“This is just an addition to the transparency initiative where everybody who feels is eligible can apply. We are just widening the net so that everybody feels can be part of the Indian coaching staff if they are judged to be the best,” said Shirke.
While Thakur stated a new coach will be appointed “in two months”, there is ambiguity over who will shortlist the candidates for interviews/ presentations after June 10. The high-profile Cricket Advisory Committee had been disbanded after Shashank Manohar took over as the president last October.
Thakur said the BCCI will decide on the fate of the CAC, which previously included Sachin Tendulkar, V.V.S. Laxman and Sourav Ganguly, during its next meeting on May 29. Even if the BCCI decides to revive the committee, Ganguly cannot be included in it since he has now taken over as the Cricket Association of Bengal president.
The Indian team hasn’t had a head coach since Duncan Fletcher’s contract expired after the 2015 World Cup. Though Shastri has filled in as team director since then, there has been a never-ending delay in the appointment of a coach.
“If you have to go for the best you can’t go with limited choices. So we are keeping it open. We want people to come who are interested. They can come forward, apply for the post and then we can look at the proposals, who are the applicants and who could be the best (suited) for BCCI,” Thakur said.
Here are the list of announcements by the newly-elected chief:
Comments
SHARE