Is BCCI looking for Hindi speaking candidates for the position of Team India’s coach?

This potentially puts an end to the rumours of New Zealander Daniel Vettori’s and Australian Michael Hussey’s contention for the role.

The year 2000 saw emergence of Indian cricket team in world cricket. Not that the team was not doing well in the last century, but the turn of millennium saw them emerge as a force to reckon with. A lot of credit for the same goes to then skipper Sourav Ganguly, who built a new, young team and infused the fighting spirit to it. Also, some credit goes to a certain John Wright; Team India’s first foreign coach.

During his tenure, the Indian team enjoyed much success overseas. When he quit the post in 2005, Greg Chappell succeeded him and though the Australian’s stint was a failure, the management still persisted with the foreign coaches. Former South African opener Gary Kirsten succeeded him and it was under him that India enjoyed its biggest success — World Cup 2011 win and No. 1 Test ranking. His tenure was followed by Duncan Fletcher’s, which earned the team more failures than success. ALSO READ: Sanjay Bangar appointed as India coach for Zimbabwe tour: Twitter Reactions.

Till recently, the team did a fairly good job under the director Ravi Shastri and Indian coaches Sanjay Bangar (batting), R Sridhar (fielding) and B Arun (bowling). In the past too, India has done well in the absence of a foreign coach. Remember they won the inaugural World T20 in 2007 under the coaching staff of Lalchand Rajput, Robin Singh and Venkatesh Prasad?

The post is vacant once again, and if BCCI’s latest advertisement for the post of Team India’s head coach is anything to go by, the board will prefer someone who has knowledge of Hindi and other local Indian languages. This is a clear indication that the BCCI is looking for an Indian, and not a foreigner for the coach’s role. Check the tweet by BCCI’s official Twitter handle in this regards:

BCCI invites applications for the position of Head Coach for Senior India Men’s Team.
Details here: https://t.co/N6AA1PGjes

— BCCI (@BCCI) June 1, 2016

The point No. six in the advertisement reads, “Communication skills befitting the coach of an International team are mandatory along with the ability to effectively convey the right messages and must demonstrate proficiency in English. It is desirable to communicate in Hindi and other regional Indian languages.”

This potentially puts an end to the rumours of New Zealander Daniel Vettori’s and Australian Michael Hussey’s contention for the role. India’s Test skipper Virat Kohli had himself proposed the Kiwis name, who coaches the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) franchise. Rahul Dravid’s name also did rounds a few days back, but the coach of India’s ‘A’ and Under-19 teams had said he needs to assess whether he is in the capacity to take the role.