Indian cricket team's coach to be finalised on 10th July.

Cricket is deemed as religion in India. Everything related to it certainly becomes a national issue. As Indian cricket team is looking for it's new coach after Anil Kumble, apparently due to his spat with the current captain of the team Virat Kohli, resigned from the esteemed post just few days before his contract as coach was about to end, applicants have started applying for the job from around the world. Ravi Shastri, former Indian player and Former director, Indian cricket team notably the front runner to get selected for the post ended any speculation whatsoever about whether he will apply for the post or not and handed over his CV to the concerned authorities on 3rd of July. Virender Sehwag, Tom Moody, Richard Pybus, Phil Simmons are the few other probables to get selected for this esteemed post. Advisory committee comprising former players Souray Gangly, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman will take the interviews of the candidates on 10th July, one day after the deadline of applications. Here we take a look at all the candidates who have applied for the post.

1. Ravi Shastri (Born 27/05/1962):

Ravi Shastri is the frontrunner to get selected as the post of coach 

Ravi Shastri, former all-rounder Indian cricket team applied for the post of Indian cricket team coach on 3rd July and arguably became the favourite to get selected. He is a noted all-rounder of his times who was the crucial part of the Indian team when they were rising on the world stage. He started playing as a left arm spinner and eventually ended up being a batting all-rounder. After retirement he has been in touch with cricket through commentary and also holding some crucial posts in team management. He was appointed as Director of the Indian cricket team in 2014 from India tour of England to world T20, 2016. He has had good time with the team as the team performed well during his tenure as director. He shares good repot with the current Indian team captain Virat Kohli and captain already having suggested his name for the post he is certainly the favourite to get selected. His only concern could be his spat with Ganguly, member of the advisory committee, last year when the latter preferred Anil Kumble over him for the same post. He seems to be the perfect candidate as he brings the aggression to the team and having good repot with players always sits as an advantage.

2. Virender Sehwag(Born 20/10/1978):

Virender Sehwag is aggressive in nature and is currently the mentor of King's XI punjab in IPl 

Aggressive batting style, carefree hitting were the trademark Sehwag's qualities when he used to play for Indian cricket team. But here the question would stand as "Are these qualities good enough to get him selected as coach of the team?" The answer would be Yes in some ways. Sehwag was someone who never got rattled by the situation of the match and would always play his self and he can induce this quality to Indian players as a coach. Though this cannot always be a boon but certainly would be helpful. He is recently working as a Mentor of King's XI Punjab in IPL and now has also been appointed as Head of cricket operations of the Punjab team. These posts will enhance his experience column in the CV. He is certainly the other favourite for the post along with Shastri.

3. Phil Simmons (Born 18/04/1963):

Phil Simmons former coach of WI is also a strong candidate.  

Phil Simmons former West Indies all-rounder and former coach West Indies applied for Indian team's coach job on Monday. He is also deemed as a strong candidate for the post having experience in coaching the teams like West Indies, Zimbabwe and Ireland. He started coaching Zimbabwe in 2004 where he didn't had good term with them mainly due to mass dismissal of their main stray players from the team. Then he started his term as coach of Ireland in 2007 and Ireland cricket team performed extremely well under him and he did the job for 224 matches which happens to be the  world record of longest spree as an international cricket coach till date. Under him Ireland qualified for almost all the ICC tournaments. Ireland won 11 trophies in that period. They produced major upset in world cups beating Pakistan and Bangladesh in 2007, England in 2011 and WI and Zimbabwe in 2015. It was after 2015 World Cup that he accepted the invitation from WI cricket board to coach the national team. With this vast experience he can be considerable option.

4. Tom Moody (Born 02/10/1965):

Tom Moody is the current coach of Sunriser Hyderabad in IPL
                                              

Tom Moody was integral part of the Australian team's dominance days over world cricket. He was a good all-rounder. After retiring from international cricket he started his career as a cricket coach. He became the coach of Srilankan team in 2005 and led them to finals of the world Cup, 2007. After his stint as Srilanka's coach he did commentary for sports channel in Big Bash league in Australia. He then joined Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL as their head coach. His plus point can be his interaction with some Indian players like Shikhar Dhawan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar who play for Sunrisers Hyderabad. Can this lead to him being the coach of Indian team? Well we will only know this on 10th of July.

5. Richard Pybus (Born 05/07/1964):

Richard Pybus, a professional coach has got experience of coaching teams of subcontinent

Richard Pybus is the only candidate amongst all who has been coaching cricket teams without any international cricket playing experience. This English born cricket coach couldn't play international cricket due to an injury. But he has got an illustrious career as a coach. He started coaching in domestic cricket in South Africa with having coached teams like Cape cobras and titans and won 9 titles with both teams in 6 years. He had a cricket academy in South Africa and players like Makhaya Ntini, Justin Kemp, Mark Boucher to modern day players like Farhan Behardien have been the find of his academy. He is so acclaimed as a coach in South Africa that he has twice won the coach of the year award in the country in year 2008-09 and 2010-11. He joined as Assistant coach of Pakistan national team in 1999 and took the team to play finals of the World Cup, 1999. Later he had small stints as regular coach with the team but couldn't get longer contracts. He has also coached Bangladesh team. Richard's long coaching career and his stints as coach with sub continent teams are his biggest USP's to be selected as Indian National coach.

6. Lal Chand Rajpoot(18/12/1961):

Lal Chand Rajput has served on the key post of Manger, India cricket team and coached U-19 Indian national team 

Lal Chand Rajput played few international matches for India in mid 80's but couldn't achieve much as a player. He then attended coaching program in Bangalore. Later he had served as a manager of Indian cricket team. He has also coached Indian U-19 team and led them to the final of the world cup during his tenure. As of now he is the head coach of Afghan National team since 2016 and the team has regularly been improving in the period. So, his old link with the Indian team and his successful stints as coach of different teams puts him very much in the contention.
Other applicant for the post who have applied are Venkatesh Prasad who has worked formerly as bowling coach of Indian team from 2007-2009 and done the same job for RCB in IPL, Dodda Ganesh, former seam bowler India, coach of Goa Cricket team for season 2012-13.

- Navdeep Sharma