As the deadline to apply for the high-profile Indian coaching job nears, another two domestic cricket stalwarts pop up for the coveted post.
According to The Hindu, former Indian cricketer Praveen Amre and Maharashtra veteran Surendra Bhave have applied yesterday for the high-profile job.
As today is the last day for submitting applications, it is certain that both the player-turned-coaches will join the long list of eight other candidates standing into the fray for the job, including Ravi Shastri, Jason Gillespie, Lalchand Rajput, Venkatesh Prasad.
After going through all the applications, BCCI will select the final name at the end of June, before India embarks on a crucial Caribbean tour next month for a series of four test matches. Now lets explore about these two candidates.
Pravin Amre
Amre, who represented India from 1991 to 94, has played eleven test matches, scoring one century, along with three fifties, at an average of 42.50. At the domestic level, he represented Mumbai, Railways, Rajasthan and Bengal. In first class cricket, he has scored 5,815 runs at 86 games, with an average of 48.86. His 246 for the Rest of India, while playing at the Irani Trophy against Bengal, remains as the highest in the tournament's history. He also briefly played for the Boland side in the Proteas domestic format.
As a coach, He guided Mumbai to three Ranji titles. He has also mentored the India-A side. Amre is someone who has been known more as a 'personal coach', thereby becoming the mentor of young Indian batsmen facing technical difficulties. It was his guidance, which made both Robin Uthappa and Dinesh Karthick technically more compact. In case of Uthappa, it was the IPL 2014, which saw the Karnataka and India opener becoming the highest scorer of the tournament. Also prominent Indian batsmen like Ajinkya Rahane. Suresh Raina, and Naman Ojha has reaped benefits out of his experience and knowledge. He can be someone, whom the board can hire to solve the team's overseas batting woes, especially in tests.
Surendra Bhave
The former prolific Right-handed opening batsman from Maharashtra, who served his state side from 1986 to 2001, has scored 7971 runs, with an average of 58.18. He was known for his ability to build long innings. In 1988/89 domestic season, he amassed 730 runs at an average of 91.25, with a highest of 274 against the Mumbai, led by Dilip Vengsarkar. He also captained Maharashtra to the Ranji final of 1992/93, where his side ended up as a runners-up. He also served as the national selector from 2008 to 2012, apart from coaching the Maharashtra’s Ranji team which made it to the Ranji Trophy final in 2013-14. He is currently working with the Haryana team.