New Delhi - Spin bowling great Anil Kumble is among the biggest names to have applied for the high-profile job as India head coach, according to media reports.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India
(BCCI) said Sunday that it had received 57 applications for the post but did
not reveal any names.
Former team director Ravi Shastri, current
chief selector Sandeep Patil and ex-pace bowler Venkatesh Prasad were among a
few top former players who made their coaching intentions public.
But on Monday Kumble, who has mentored
Indian Premier League sides such as Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers
Bangalore, was reported to have also thrown his hat in the ring.
"Yes, I have applied," the former India skipper was quoted as saying by The Indian Express newspaper.
The 45-year-old bagged 619 Test wickets in 132
matches and is only the second bowler in cricket history after England's Jim
Laker to have taken all 10 in a Test innings.
Kumble has previously served as the
president of his state association in Karnataka and headed BCCI's technical
committee. He is currently the chairman of the ICC cricket committee.
However Kumble does not fit the BCCI
criteria of having "coached a cricket team of any of the member countries
of the ICC (International Cricket Council), at the first class or at the
International level".
Overseas coaches such as Australia's Stuart
Law and Dav Whatmore, who was recently sacked by Zimbabwe, are also being
floated by India's media as possible applicants.
The list will now be pruned by board secretary Ajay Shirke and the appointment of the new coach is expected to be made before India's tour to the West Indies in July.