There is a strong belief among the top brass of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that the time is ripe for an Indian coach to be sent along with Duncan Fletcher for the ICC Twenty20 World Cup in Bangladesh.
With the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand just a year away, the BCCI is not likely to disturb Fletcher’s position as coach, but the think-tank in the board is no longer reluctant to look at an Indian with adequate qualifications and stature to work with the Indian players.
The long-term plan is to have an Indian take over as the coach of the National team.
The BCCI official, who spoke to The Hindu , said there were only a few players in the reckoning, but there is every chance that Lalchand Rajput, who has been part of the India under-19, India ‘A’ and the senior teams, especially at the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa in 2007, will among the names that will be discussed. So would be Bharat Arun, who has been in charge of the India u-19 team for many years.
Among the other candidates, the prominent one is Sanjay Bangar, who is regarded highly after the stint with the India ‘A’ team in the series against New Zealand ‘A’ at Visakhapatnam last year.
There is also the possibility of the BCCI short-listing Indians for the two key positions of physio and physical trainer. The aim is to help them gain experience during India’s tour of England, and in the home international series in winter.
