Sandeep Patil seems to be out of race for Team India’s head coach post

The race for Team India's coach seems to get more and more intense. It saw a new turn this week with current chairman of selectors Sandeep Patil reportedly being out of contention now.

The race for Team India’s coach seems to get more and more intense. It saw a new turn this week with current chairman of selectors Sandeep Patil reportedly being out of contention now.

A report from mid-day stated that Ravi Shastri, Anil Kumble, and Tom Moody are expected to arrive for an interview at Taj Bengal in Kolkata from 1.30 pm onwards. Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) comprising of Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, and VVS Laxman will interview the men. Former BCCI secretary Sanjay Jagdale is acting as the coordinator for the committee. ALSO READ: 6 reasons why Zaheer Khan should be India’s bowling coach

Patil, 59, has not been called to Kolkata. He was quoted as saying, “At the moment, I have not been called for an interview. I thought I had the right credentials hence I applied for the post. I have no regrets and I am not unhappy.”

Shastri is the clear favourite among players. He held the post of India’s Team Director till the end of ICC World T20 2016, while the three-man CAC is expected to back their ex-teammate Anil Kumble. Tom Moody may just be the dark horse. The former Australian all-rounder has coached Sri Lanka, IPL franchises Kings XI Punjab, and more recently, IPL 2016 champions, Sunrisers Hyderabad.  READ MORE: Team India coach: Sreesanth throws towel into the ring

Patil was the most experienced coach among the Indian applicants. He has coached several teams in India, including the national team in the 1990s. He has also coached Kenya and Oman, apart from coaching India under-19 and India A. He was also the director of the National Cricket Academy.