Prasad applies for India job

Former India pacer and current National Junior Selection Committee chairman Venkatesh Prasad has joined the race with the likes of former team director Ravi Shastri and Senior Selection Committee chief Sandeep Patil to become the head coach of the Indian cricket team.

“At this moment, all I can say is that I have applied for the job,” Prasad told Deccan Herald on Wednesday.

Prasad, who has served as India’s bowling coach in the past, has on more than one occasion expressed his desire to get back to coaching either with the natinal team or at the National Cricket Academy.

While it will take a while before the BCCI zeroes in on a head coach, it is learnt that Prasad is open to becoming a bowling coach or an assistant coach of the national team should he miss out on the high-profile job.

Prasad enjoyed a fair bit of success as the bowling coach of the Indian team (between 2007 and 2009) which won the inaugural 2007 ICC World T20, won a Test series in England in 2007 and a rare win in a Test at Perth in 2008. It was during his time that the likes of RP Singh, Ishant Sharma, S Sreesanth, among others, came to the fore.  Besides serving as the Indian team’s bowling coach, Prasad also worked with the now-suspended IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Sandhu also interested
Former India medium pacer Balwinder Singh Sandhu is the latest Test player to apply for the job of the head coach of the national cricket team and expressed confidence about getting the coveted post.

“Yes, I have applied for the job. I did it last evening and I am quite confident, although I know that Ravi Shastri is the frontrunner,” Sandhu said.