Sachin, Sourav, and Laxman to interview India coach candidates in Kolkata on June 21

After the initial scrutiny last week, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had reduced the list of applicants for the post of Indian national team coach to 21 from 57. The interviews of the eligible candidates will now be done by the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) of Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, and VVS Laxman along with former BCCI secretary Sanjay Jagdale on June 21 in Kolkata.

With high-profile applicants like Anil Kumble not fulfilling all the criteria (the leg-spinner has not coached any international of first-class team) of the BCCI, the CAC was given the freedom to interview people outside the shortlist too. According to a report in the Times of India, the high-profile committee held its first meeting on Saturday in Mumbai, and it has shortlisted a few candidates for the interview.

Also read: Why BCCI's dramatic head coach selection process is nothing but a farce

Candidates who cannot travel to Kolkata will be interviewed through video conferencing. "The meeting is being held in Kolkata because Ganguly cannot travel out of the city due to personal reasons," Board secretary Ajay Shirke told TOI on Sunday.

The BCCI is likely to name the coach on June 24 at the Working Committee meeting, which is supposed to ratify the decision, in Dharamshala.

"In case the CAC takes a little more time, the BCCI WC can always authorise the president (Anurag Thakur) and secretary to approve the recommendation of the CAC about the new coach," added Shirke.  

Also read: Who will win the race for the India coach’s post?

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