Reports: Abhay Sharma to apply for India's fielding coach position

Former India women’s team fielding coach Abhay Sharma, who has also worked with India A and India U-19 teams, has emerged as one of the candidates for Team India’s fielding coach position. The current fielding coach of the team, R Sridhar’s tenure ends in November and thus the management is putting their thinking hats on his replacement. As per reports, Abhay Sharma is likely to apply for the post.

Sharma has featured in 89 first-class games representing Delhi, Railways and Rajasthan. He has been the fielding coach of team India which traveled to Zimbabwe in the year 2016. He had also traveled with the team on their tours to USA and West Indies in the same year. More so recently, the Indian women’s cricketer Harmanpreet Kaur had heaped praises on Sharma for his work during the UK tour. He was, however, replaced for the next tour of the team to Australia.

A BCCI source had come forward to provide information about Sharma’s probability of applying as team India’s fielding coach. “He will be applying for the role soon,” the source stated. Sharma has considerable experience under his sleeves. He has been a part of the team for three U-19 World Cups, with South Africa being the latest tour in 2020.

He has also been associated with the team for as many as ten India A tours. He is also one of the coaches of the National Cricket Academy and has worked closely with Rahul Dravid who is considered as one of the front runners for taking up the responsibility of team India’s head coach.

Team India’s support staff set to undergo a complete change 

India head coach Ravi Shastri’s tenure with the team ends in November and he is set to leave post the T20 World Cup. Thus, the BCCI has been looking for a replacement for this high-profile job. It was previously reported that the board is aiming to get an Indian on board for the task.

Along with Shastri, Bharat Arun and R Sridhar are also set to end their association with the side, As previously reported, the NCA head coach Rahul Dravid is likely to be appointed as Team India’s head coach after the World Cup.