A day after unveiling Anil Kumble as India’s next coach, the top brass of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is mulling over the support staff which will help him in the quest to regain the top ranking in Tests.
Ravi Shastri’s exit as the team director could also mean the end of the road for two of his three trusted lieutenants. Batting coach Sanjay Bangar and bowling coach B. Arun are unlikely to continue. R. Sridhar, the fielding coach, has a good chance of retaining his place.
The BCCI hierarchy is understood to have had preliminary discussions over the coaching staff with Kumble. Based on it and the feedback from the players, it is likely to announce the names ahead of the Indian team’s preparatory camp in Bengaluru from June 29.
As for the batting coach, the BCCI seems to have shortlisted Praveen Amre and Vikram Rathour.
Amre has a slight advantage considering the fact that during his interview, he had made separate presentations from the head coach perspective and about how to take India’s batting department forward.
It is understood that the BCCI is not too keen to appoint a bowling coach for now. With India set to feature in most of its assignments at home, the BCCI officials feel that Kumble, being an accomplished leg-spinner himself, wouldn’t really need a pace-bowling coach as assistant. If he presses for one, former New Zealand pacer Shane Bond — now involved with Mumbai Indians — may be approached.
The other contender in the fray is Abhay Sharma, the former Railways captain-coach.
