Ever since Anil Kumble dramatically stepped down as national team coach following a reported rift with India skipper Virat Kohli, a soap opera has been playing with the Board of Control for Cricket in India seeking a new coach — an exercise that has even seen an unknown engineer throw his hat into the ring. The final act will play out on Monday as the powerful Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), comprising Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman, meet the shortlisted candidates. Reportedly, the CAC will only interview six candidates from the 10 CVs it received — Ravi Shastri, Virender Sehwag, Tom Moody, Richard Pybus, Dodda Ganesh, Lalchand Rajput, Lance Klusener, Rakesh Sharma (Oman national team coach), Phil Simmons and Upendranath Brahmachari (an engineer with no cricketing background). While Shastri has been touted as the front-runner, another strong contender for the job is former India player Sehwag. Apart from the two of them, Moody, Simmons, Pybus and Rajput will also be interviewed on Monday, according to a PTI report that added that Klusener may be kept on standby, but has very little chance of getting the job. Shastri incidentally had not initially applied for the job but only did so after the BCCI extended the deadline for acceptance of applications till 9 July.
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Catch the live updates and insights into Team India’s coach selection. While Shastri has been touted as the front-runner, another strong contender for the job is former India player Sehwag.
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Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar’s take on the situation.
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Cricket Advisory Committee can’t go strictly on the basis of presentations made.
These could be put together by any management guy. They do projections, project reports and the like everyday and could easily make one for the aspiring coach.
Instead the coach’s track record in his job, staying the course through thick and thin, striking rapport with teammates, strategic planning and ability to work in a team without throwing his weight around must be taken into account.
The coach’s ability to work with captain and senior members is critical. He should also be able to motivate the boys. Importantly can’t have rival power structures within team or dressing room.
The new coach will have his hands full almost instantly. The series against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka starts later this month.
The Lankans are no pushovers. They are very difficult to beat at home. The new coach would have to do a lot of research and homework on their players, especially the lesser known ones and at the same time work out a rapport with his own team.
The Indian team also has players returning to the side and a couple of youngsters who’d need to be mentored. The captain, vice-captain would have their battles to fight.
The coach would have to ensure that they are in the right frame of mind and the team is well prepared for the task.
The new coach would have to hit the ground running. There is absolutely no lag time for him to ease into the job.
The call for presentations from aspiring coaches and their interview is new for Indian cricket.
Sure there was a sort of interview the last time when Anil Kumble was chosen ahead of Shastri. But this must be the first time that there is a frenzy such as the present one.
Is the BCCI worried that the COA or even SC would ask what process was followed in selection of coach? Is this whole exercise designed so that it could be shown that there was due process in the choice.
The advertising, short-listing and interview must be seen as part of the process. Else why would Shastri have been convinced to formally apply when he had openly stated that he wouldn’t and would have to be invited instead!
Anyone with ambitions to coach India should have interacted with captain Virat Kohli.
No point in choosing someone who doesn’t know the skipper and vice versa. That would straight away rule out most. Shastri would still be front-runner as he has worked with the team and they know what to expect from him.
In this case Sehwag would also score over Moody.
Ravi Shastri or Tom Moody, who’s the favourite candidate to become Team India’s new coach?
The frenzy surrounding selection of coach is surprising, given that a coach has a very limited role to play in cricket. A good coach is one who stays in the background and yet facilitates maximisation of results. In cricket the team is rightfully the captain’s. He takes a call on virtually everything, from batting order, field placings, bowling changes, etc.
The coach is expected to keep the team in the right frame of mind for tough battles and provide inputs that would help in the quest for success. He can also see things differently from outside. May be notice the minor things that would make a difference between success and defeat.
Although many have applied for the post, Ravi Shastri and Tom Moody would be obvious front-runners.
The path to the selection of Team India’s head coach has been one filled with proverbial twists and turns.
This much-publicised selection reaches its climax today as the Cricket Advisory Committee, comprising Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman, will be meeting the candidates.
With the 10 applicants reportedly shortlisted to six candidates, Ravi Shastri is considered to be the frontrunner for the job of head coach of Virat Kohli’s team.
Stay with us for up-to-date live information and insights into who will become the next coach