Kumble may face former teammates in interview on June 21

Fifty-seven applicants had applied for the post out of which 21 were shortlisted by the BCCI. Since a few high-profile candidates like Kumble do not meet all the criteria – he hasn’t coached any international or First Class team, nor has he passed any course from the National Cricket Academy – CAC was given the freedom to interview anyone outside this list of 21 too. It is learnt that the committee has shortlisted a few candidates, who will now have to appear for an interview on June 21 in Kolkata.

Some aspirants who cannot travel to Kolkata will be interviewed through video conferencing. “The meeting is being held in Kolkata because Ganguly cannot travel out of the city due to personal reasons,” Board secretary Ajay Shirke told TOI on Sunday. The committee has little time to recommend a coach before the Working Committee meeting, which is supposed to ratify the decision, on June 24 in Dharamshala.

“In case the CAC takes a little more time, the BCCI working committee can always authorise the president (Anurag Thakur) and secretary to approve the recommendation of the CAC about the new coach,” said Shirke.

The race, right now, looks to be a close one between Kumble and Shastri. What works in Kumble’s favour, apart from his high stature, is the fact that India are playing majorly at home in the next couple of years, where spinners may need his guidance to be effective. It must be noted here that all the members of the board-constituted CAC have been Kumble’s former India teammates for a long time, and are well-aware of what the Karnataka man brings to the table.

Sources, though, also point out that the trio are likely to ask the top five-six players of the Indian team about their choice, which might just be former India all-rounder Shastri, who was the team director till recently.