BCCI mulls foreign head coach, approaches Stephen Fleming, Tom Moody: Sources
The Indian cricket board (BCCI) is not averse to the idea of hiring a foreign coach for the senior national men’s team.
The richest cricket board has approached CSK’s head coach Stephen Fleming and former SRH coach Tom Moody for the top job in the Indian cricket team, sources have said. The BCCI is keen on getting on board Stephen Fleming as Rahul Dravid’s successor and if the former New Zealand captain applies for the role, things will be taken forward.
The BCCI invited applications for the head coach role with an advertisement on May 13, confirming that May 27 — a day after the IPL 2024 final — would be the deadline for sending in applications. Incumbent Rahul Dravid, according to board secretary Jay Shah can re-apply for the role. However, the board is inclined toward getting a foreign coach on board. Dravid, who has been at the helm since 2021, will have his tenure coming to an end after the T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies in June.
According to sources, Stephen Fleming is likely to apply for the job before the board’s Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) begins interviewing the shortlisted candidates. Fleming’s success with the Super Kings in the IPL is well-documented. Coming on board as the head coach of the team in 2009, Fleming and MS Dhoni helped CSK evolve into a winning machine. Fleming’s contribution has often been overshadowed by MS Dhoni’s brilliance, but a lot of credit has been given to the former New Zealand captain for helping create a winning atmosphere at CSK. Tom Moody, on the other hand, was the head coach of SRH’s IPL-winning team in 2016.
Duncan Fletcher was the last foreign coach that the senior national men’s team had. His tenure ended after MS Dhoni-led side crashed out of the semi-final in the 2015 World Cup. India was apprehensive about hiring overseas coaches after the Greg Chappell fiasco, but Gary Kirsten was brought on board in 2008 and the former South African cricketer played a key role in their historic 2011 World Cup triumph. Notably, Kirsten has been appointed as the head coach of the Pakistan senior national men’s team.
BCCI OPEN TO HIRING FOREIGN COACH?
Notably, BCCI secretary Jay Shah confirmed earlier in the month that the board would be open to hiring a foreign coach.
“We cannot determine whether the new coach will be Indian or foreign. It will be up to the CAC, and we are a global body,” Jay Shah said.
The BCCI has set a tenure of 3.5 years for the new head coach. The stint will start from July 1, 2024 and is set to end in December 2027. India play the Champions Trophy in 2025 and the ODI World Cup in 2027 and a cycle of World Test Championship in the said period.
It remains to be seen if India would adopt a split coaching formula, considering the increasing gap in skillsets needed for white-ball and red-ball cricket. England have Brendon McCullum for Tests and Matthew Mott for white-ball cricket while Pakistan have roped in Kirsten for white-ball cricket and Jason Gillespie for Test cricket.