Sandeep Patil applies for India’s Head Coach job

Just a few days after the BCCI invited applications for the vacant post of India senior men’s team head coach through its website, chief selector Sandeep Patil has thrown his hat into the ring for the high-profile job.

“I have just applied (for the post),” Patil told PTI on Saturday.

Patil did not confirm or deny whether anyone from the BCCI had asked him to do so. His term as chief selector is due to end in September. He previously worked as chairman of the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore, and coached Kenya and Oman.

Patil had earlier coached India as well, back in 1996, but his tenure was a forgettable one; he was replaced within six months. He enjoyed better success with Kenya, with him in charge of the team when they made the ICC Cricket World Cup semi-final in 2003.

According to reports in the Indian media, Sandeep Patil was one of four candidates shortlisted by the BCCI for the position of India coach in May 2005, but opted out citing his commitments with Oman.

If Patil gets the job of head coach before September, he will have to quit his current job in the selection panel.

The senior team has not had a head coach since the departure of Zimbabwean Duncan Fletcher, after the disastrous tour to England in 2014. Ravi Shastri was made the Team Director even when that tour was in progress and continued in that post till India were knocked out of the World T20 Championship at the semifinal stage by eventual champions West Indies in March.

Sanjay Bangar, who is currently been sent with Indian team for Zimbabwe, is also expected to apply for the job. Praveen Amre is another applicant. Amre has coached the Mumbai Ranji team, and is known for being a batting coach who has done work with the likes of Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, Dinesh Karthik, Robin Uthappa, and Shreyas Iyer.

The biggest name, though, remains Ravi Shastri. Many Indian players have already sent a good feedback about him to the BCCI, lauding his role as team director after taking over from Duncan Fletcher last year.

The BCCI had put in place the requirements of candidates for the high-profile job who have to send in applications on or before June 10.