Kumble, Shastri, Patil set to be interviewed tomorrow

KOLKATA: Eyeing the Indian cricket team coach's job, big names such as Anil Kumble, Ravi Shastri and Sandeep Patil along with other aspirants are set to be interviewed for the coveted post at a city hotel here tomorrow.

The BCCI's cricket advisory committee comprising Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman and Sachin Tendulkar will take the interview of the shortlisted 21 candidates. Tendulkar will join in from London via video conference.

Confirming the development, a top Cricket Association of Bengal official today said all the "prominent" names who are in contention would attend the interview.

"Obviously the two-three prominent ones would be here. The meeting will start at 1.30 pm. The meeting will be convened by Sanjay Jagdale," he said.

Besides Shastri, Kumble and Patil, the other Indian names in contention include Vikram Rathour, Praveen Amre, Balwinder Sandhu and Venkatesh Prasad among others.

The recommendation of the advisory committee will be forwarded to the BCCI president Anurag Thakur for ratification at the working committee meeting in Dharamsala on June 24.

Spin great Kumble incidentally do not meet all the criteria -- of not coaching any international or first-class team, nor has he passed any course from the National Cricket Academy.

The 45-year-old, however, had mentored Mumbai Indians to two IPL wins in 2013 and 2015.

The advisory committee can interview anyone outside the 21 as the Board is keen to announce the coach ahead of the West Indies tour next month.