Former Indian captain and leg-spinner Anil Kumble is among 57 applicants for the post of head coach of the national cricket team, reported ESPNcricinfo. Kumble joins a list of high-profile names to apply for the job, including former Indian players Ravi Shastri, Sandeep Patil and Venkatesh Prasad. "Yes, Kumble has applied for the post and probably is the biggest name doing the rounds. His name in the mix makes it very interesting," a Board of Control for Cricket in India official told PTI.
However, Kumble does not fulfill one of the criteria set by the BCCI for the job, which is to have some coaching experience at the international or first-class level. Kumble has no coaching experience, but has mentored two Indian Premier League teams – Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians. "Mentors are basically extension of coaches and no one can doubt Anil’s knowledge of the game. He has a towering personality and every member of this current team has huge respect for him,” the official added.
Kumble is India’s highest Test wicket-taker with 619 victims and also took a 10-wicket haul in an innings against Pakistan. He captained India in 14 Tests, the most famous of which was a victory against Australia at the fast-bowling paradise of Perth in 2008. He was also at the helm during the Monkeygate controversy in the same series, where fellow spinner Harbhajan Singh was accused by the Australians of racism.
Kumble, 45, is currently the chairman of the International Cricket Council's cricket committee. He has also headed the BCCI's technical committee, the Karnataka State Cricket Association and the National Cricket Academy. The BCCI is likely to announce the name of the new coach on June 25, the report said, before the Indian team leaves for its tour of West Indies in July.
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