So, it’s official now. After weeks of shadowy reports about rifts between Virat Kohli and Anil Kumble, the cat is finally out of the bag. On Tuesday, the Board of Control for Cricket in India announced that the former India spinner was stepping down from the post, despite BCCI’s Cricket Advisory Committee endorsing an extension to his tenure.
The resignation comes after weeks of speculation of a rift between him and Kohli where supposedly the two did not get along. The BCCI invited applications for the post in May, calling it due process, amidst reports that former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag was among the frontrunners for the job.
Who’s likely to be in the hot seat after Kumble? Here are the five who applied:
Virender Sehwag
One of India’s greatest ever opening batsmen, who has now metamorphosed into a Twitter celebrity in his own right, could well become the team’s next coach. Virender Sehwag is considered to be one of the frontrunners for the post, having been asked by the Board of Control for Cricket in India to apply for the job during the 2017 edition of the Indian Premier League. Reports suggested he sent a two-line application letter to the BCCI which he later rejected.
What works for him: Sehwag isn’t a complete stranger to coaching. He was a mentor to Kings XI Punjab in 2016 and became the franchisee’s head of cricket operations and strategy in 2017. His laidback attitude may also help him get along better with Kohli and his troops who reportedly did not like Kumble’s “taskmaster” attitude.
What doesn’t: Sehwag’s flamboyant, easy-going ways may have made him a fantastic batsman but it will not necessarily make him a great coach. As he admitted through his career, he never gave much emphasis on technique or tactics, which may not work well when it comes to coaching a high-profile national cricket team.
Tom Moody
A former Australian cricketer who has made a successful transition to the rigours of coaching, Tom Moody lost out in the race to be Indian coach two times earlier, once to Greg Chappell in 2005 and to Anil Kumble in 2016. He took Sri Lanka to the final of the 2007 World Cup and Sunrisers Hyderabad to the 2016 IPL title.
What works for him: Moody has solid coaching experience with stints at Worcestershire, Sri Lanka, Western Australia, Sunrisers Hyderabad and in the Caribbean Premier League
What doesn’t: After the Greg Chappell fiasco and now the Anil Kumble one, will the BCCI be comfortable handing over the reins to another high-profile former player?
Richard Pybus
An experienced coach who has been around for a long time. Pybus has coached Pakistan twice, taking them to the World Cup final in 1999. He has also had successful stints at the franchise level in South Africa where he coached the Cape Cobras to three titles and won the Cricket South Africa “Coach of the Year” award in 2011. He has worked with English county side Middlesex as well and was director of cricket for West Indies for a three-year period from 2013 onward.
What works for him: Solid experience as a coach in conditions as varied as England, West Indies, South Africa, Pakistan and Bangladesh. He has a reputation for being low-profile which may go well with someone as combustible as Virat Kohli.
What doesn’t: Pybus has a history of instability. Apart from his unceremonious departures from Pakistan, he quit as coach of Middlesex in 2007, just five months into the job. He also left the Bangladesh job in 2012 because of differences in the contract.
Lalchand Rajput
A former first-class stalwart for Mumbai, Lalchand Rajput shot into the limelight for being the manager of the young Indian team that won the inaugural World Twenty20 in 2007. Rajput has coached the India Under-19 and “A” teams and has coaching experience with the Mumbai Indians in the IPL. Rajput was in the fray last year to be India coach but took over Afghanistan’s reins in June 2016.
What works for him: His familiarity with players and an under-stated approach.
What doesn’t: Compared to some of the others in this list, he does not have a track record of sustained success as a coach.
Dodda Ganesh
Dodda Ganesh played only four Tests and a single One-Day International for India in 1997 but remained an impressive fast bowler for Karnataka on the domestic circuit. He coached Goa for four years from 2012 to 2016 and has had stints with junior-level teams in the National Cricket Academy. Ganesh has also been a state selector for the Karnataka Ranji team.
What works for him: He is under-stated and is not likely to have any ego clashes with members of the Indian team. He also has coaching experience with junior teams.
What doesn’t: A lack of high-profile, senior level coaching experience.
For all other editor’s picks, please click here.
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