5 Big names who didn't apply for the coach's post of the Indian team

The race for the position of the head coach of the Indian team has been on for quite a while now and has been the hot topic ever since BCCI invited applications from former cricketers. The initial list of 57 applicants has been trimmed down to 21 with foreigners such as Stephen Fleming, Dan Vettori and Indians such as Sandeep Patil, Anil Kumble and Ravi Shastri emerging as favourites. Today we look at 5 former cricketers who haven’t applied for the lucrative post but can give the applicants a run for their money on any given day. 1. Rahul Dravid: Former Indian cricketer and captain Rahul Dravid. (Photo by INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP/Getty Images) Dravid’s name has been thrown around for the head coach ever since he took up coaching for India A and the Under-19 team. A veteran of 164 Tests, Dravid’s record as coach of both the teams is very impressive, to say the least. One of the game’s most respected gentlemen, Dravid has received backing from big names like Sunil Gavaskar, Ricky Ponting, Shane Watson and many others. According to MS Dhoni, the head coach should understand the Indian culture and the upbringing of players along with their values and the Wall, who always stayed away from controversy, definitely fits the mould. His combination with Virat Kohli would be like fire and ice. Keep an eye on this guy for an outside entry till the last moment. Also check out – 5 Front runners to be appointed the coach of the Indian team 2. Steve Waugh: Former Australian captain Steve Waugh. AFP PHOTO/William WEST (Photo by WILLIAM WEST/AFP/Getty Images) One of the best ever Test captains, Steve Waugh led Australia to glory through the 1990s with the help of Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne. And who can forget his amazing all-round performances in the 1987 World Cup. Despite suffering from back injuries, Steve carried on playing and retired with an average of 51. Having 32 hundreds under his belt from 168 Tests, being one of the best slip catchers ever also adds to his credibility for slip catching is one of the areas the Indian team needs the most improvement in. A fierce competitor with an aggressive attitude, Steve Waugh would definitely be on the same page with future captain Kohli most of the times. 3. Jacques Kallis: Jacques Kallis. (Photo Source: Twitter) When you have arguably the best and most complete all-rounder ever as the leader of the think tank, you can hardly put a foot wrong. Jacques Kallis has served South Africa for a long time with both the bat and ball amassing over 24000 runs combined with over 500 wickets in both the formats. The best thing about having Kallis as the coach would be the ability to adapt to the mindset of a batsman or a bowler at a given instant in a given game. Ask the Kolkata Knight Riders if you are not convinced. The South African has played and performed well all across the world and in all conditions possible gaining tons of experience which can be useful for the coming generation of Indian cricketers. 4. Michael Hussey: Michael Hussey looks on before the Big Bash League match. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe – CA/Cricket Australia/Getty Images) Mr Cricket as Mr Coach sounds perfect. With a sound technique and sharp mind, Hussey’s application would certainly bear a lot of weight over many others. A late bloomer in international cricket, Hussey has had his fair share of success with the Australian team and Chennai Super Kings in the IPL and recently led the underdogs, Sydney Thunder to their first ever BBL victory after finishing last in the 2 seasons prior to that. Hussey has proved his mettle against all oppositions and managed to remain controversy free throughout his career. He has recently taken up coaching roles in A level with Cricket Australia and his Australian mentality would also benefit India on overseas tours and ICC tournaments. 5. Allan Donald: Allan Donald. (© Getty Images) ‘The White Lightening’, Allan Donald was the world’s most feared bowler at his peak. He destroyed many strong batting line ups including that of the mighty Australians and the Fab Four of India. Donald served as interim coach for England in 2007 but rejected the full time offer due to family commitments. He currently serves as the bowling coach for Mumbai Indians and maybe it’s time for him to transfer his immense knowledge at the highest level. A fast bowling head coach will be a breath of fresh air and the upcoming crop of fast bowlers led by Jasprit Bumrah will reap huge rewards from him under the leadership of Virat Kohli since fast bowling has been a department India have lacked in traditionally.

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5 Big names who didn't apply for the coach's post of the Indian team

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