Kumble, Amre to be interviewed for India coach position

Former India captain Anil Kumble and former cricketers Pravin Amre and Lalchand Rajput are among some of the applicants who will make presentations to the BCCI's three-member cricket advisory panel that will pick India's head coach. The presentations and interviews will be conducted in Kolkata from Tuesday.

It is understood that Kumble and Amre will meet the panel, comprising Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman, on Tuesday afternoon. It is not yet known whether Ravi Shastri, who was India's team director until the end of the World Twenty20, will also make a presentation. Shastri, who confirmed his application in early June, did not respond to the query sent by ESPNcricinfo.

Sandeep Patil, the chairman of selectors, has reportedly not yet received any communication from the BCCI. Patil had stated earlier this month that he had applied for the job.

Last week, the BCCI had trimmed the list of 57 names to 21 but clarified that the advisory committee could be given the entire list if required. The committee is expected to submit its choice by June 22. If it does so, the BCCI could announce the appointment at the working committee meeting in Dharamsala on June 24. In an interview with India Today, Ganguly did not divulge the names of the shortlisted candidates but said that the committee was hopeful of finalising a coach by June 24.

"The interviews will start from tomorrow. We know the candidates, we've shortlisted the candidates but unfortunately I cannot tell that to you. So please pardon me from doing that. Yes, as you said, the interview is tomorrow and hopefully by June 24 you will get to know the name of the Indian coach," he said.

According to a BCCI official, the advisory panel - which was appointed in June last year - has already met a few times to discuss procedures before it meets shortlisted candidates. It is also understood that the panel, including coordinator Sanjay Jagdale, has done "thorough homework" on the applicants who will travel to Kolkata on Tuesday. When asked whether the interview process will extend to Wednesday, the official said that a decision on that would be taken on the basis of what happens tomorrow.

The BCCI is seeking a coach for the India team after Shastri's contract expired at the end of the World T20 earlier this year. The board opened the process on June 1, with an advertisement on its website, and had set June 10 as a deadline for candidates to apply for the role.

Apart from Shastri, Patil and Kumble, current selector Vikram Rathour, Venkatesh Prasad, Balwinder Singh Sandhu and former Bangladesh coach Stuart Law also applied for the job.

Among the key qualifications stipulated by the BCCI was that candidates should have coached at the international or first-class level. It was also mentioned that "it is preferred that the candidate should be qualified through a certification/assessment program conducted by any of the Full Member countries, and currently possess such a valid certification."