Reports: Former cricketer Venkatesh Prasad applies for the head coach post

Ever since ex-India coach Anil Kumble unceremoniously quit from his post, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) extended the date for the application to the post to July 9, which is why new candidates are now throwing in their hats for the coveted position. Former Indian seamer and current junior national chief selector, Venkatesh Prasad, has also applied for the highest post in Indian team management, informed Times of India.

So the two new applicants are former India team director Ravi Shastri and Prasad, who featured in 162 ODIs and 33 Tests in the 90s. He is currently the chief selector of junior Indian team but his three-year term ends in September after which he will be free. Although he refused to confirm on the same, TOI has learnt from reliable sources that he is looking for a full-time position with team India. Among others in the race are Virender Sehwag, Tom Moody, Lalchand Rajput and Dodda Ganesh.

While Sehwag may not be considered fit for the post, given his lackluster approach, especially after he allegedly submitted a two-line CV to the BCCI, Shastri on the other hand can be looked as a backdoor entry since he has the backing of Indian captain Virat Kohli and also of some BCCI officials with who Shastri has closely worked before as well. He had applied for the post last year as well, but Kumble was chosen over him by the CAC. Shastri had given the interview for the post on Skype while he was holidaying in Bangkok and it was assumed that his laidback manner of giving the interview cost him the job.

New coach to be finalised before August

While currently, the Indian Team is without a head coach in the West Indies, they are likely to get one before the tour to Sri Lanka, which has been set as a deadline by the Indian board for selecting a new coach.