Reports | BCCI to find India’s new head coach before T20 World Cup
The BCCI is likely to start the process of finding India’s next head coach this week as the Indian team will be gearing up for the T20 World Cup in UAE and Oman. The contract of India's current head coach Ravi Shastri, bowling coach Bharat Arun and fielding coach R Sridhar will end in November.
According to the reports, BCCI is nearing the finalization of documentation and criteria for the next support staff. As per a top BCCI source, the board will release an advertisement for the new support staff. India will host New Zealand for the three-match T20I series and two Tests matches three days after the T20 World Cup final. The New Zealand tour of India is scheduled to begin on November 17.
"The process of hiring the next support staff will start this week. The board is looking at October 14 to come out with the advertisement. The board is keen to bring in the new coach during the New Zealand series so that he gets used to the dressing room before the team leaves for South Africa in the second week of December," a top BCCI official told TOI.
As reports suggest, the BCCI have approached Anil Kumble and VVS Laxman for the head coach role, but the official said that it is too early to comment on the recruitment of new supporting staff for the Indian cricket team.
"These are very early stages. There could be more big names applying for the job. The board will wait for to see who all apply and then decide on pursuing individuals," the official added.
Former India pacer and current NCA bowling coach Paras Mhambrey will be the top contender for the next bowling coach for India. Mhambrey has been working with the NCA head Rahul Dravid over the last six years.Â
"It will be great if Mhambrey applies for the job. He knows the system well. But the board will have to figure out who will take care of the U-19 team because there is not much time to prepare or the U-19 World Cup," the official said to TOI.
The contract of India head coach Ravi Shastri, bowling coach Bharat Arun and fielding coach R Sridhar will end in November. Shastri, who has already confirmed that he won’t be seeking an extension, is likely to step down as India’s head coach after the T20 World Cup.