BCCI plans to have separate coaches for Test and limited overs

BCCI plans to have separate coaches for Test and limited overs : The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is planning to have two separate coaches for the Indian side, each for the Tests and limited over format. The secretary of the BCCI, Anurag Thakur first revealed that a coach would be appointed before the series against South Africa which is to begin in October, but according to the ESPNcricinfo the coaching responsibilities may split for different formats.

As informed by an insider of the BCCI in the last month a dozen of candidates from overseas have been approached but nobody stepped forward to accept the job with a full-time responsibility for the following two primary reasons: most of the candidates are a part of the T20I franchise or league and are not ready to leave a profitable assignment with short-term work commitment.

The other reason being, BCCI’s rule that prohibits the coach from choosing an assistant of his own will. Instead, BCCI has stressed the head coach will have the work with Indian assistant coaches.

This has made the overseas coaches hesitant from taking up the coaching position for the Indian team. The cricket-advisory committee of the BCCI consists of the legends, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman all of whom are expected to coach with the T20 franchise, is likely to interact with the BCCI on the matter over the coming fortnight.

Thankur hinted on Ravi Shastri, the team director’s continuation of the post, but cleared that the structure and the number of coaching staff will be formalized by the adivisory committee.

Thakur in a chat with Sanjay Manjrekar and Sunil Gavaskar during the lunch break of India’s second Test against Sri Lanka on Thursday on Sony Six said that, “I think it is very important to have a full-time coach for any team. We have taken some time to decide and most probably in the month of September, we will finalise the coach,”

“[Ravi] Shastri is holding the position of the director for the last few months and he has done well with the Indian cricket team, the boys have given us a good feedback about him, so the only issue is if we want a full-time coach then what would be the set-up. We can’t be having 10 people with the Indian cricket team.

“So we have left it to the cricket advisory committee to decide how many people will be required, how many coaches will be required, whether a bowling coach, a batting coach, a full-time coach or a director. Let them take a call, come back to BCCI in September and before the South Africa series, I can assure you that we will take a call on that.”

Following his good bonding with the Test captain Virat Kohli, Ravi Shastri may continue to look after the Test team while the new coach may be given the responsibility of the ODI and T20I teams. Shastri continues to be a strong contender for the task. Thakur and Shastri, have been a part of the team management for almost an year now. They sat for a meeting in Colombo on Thursday, which proves the discussions have already been done.