Venkatesh Prasad applies for Team India coach post

Former seam bowler Venkatesh Prasad has also thrown his hat into the ring by applying for the high profile head coach's job with the Indian cricket team. "I have applied this morning," Prasad confirmed to PTI. Prasad, who is currently the chairman of the BCCI junior selecting committee, is keen to get back to a coaching role. He has also been India's bowling coach in the past. In fact, Prasad was in charge of the bowling department when India won the inaugural 2007 ICC World T20 under Mahendra Singh Dhoni's captaincy.

Prasad faces stiff competition from Indian cricket heavyweights like former Team Director Ravi Shastri and current chairman of senior selection committee Sandeep Patil, who have also applied for the top job. It has been learnt that Prasad is also open to becoming a a bowling coach of the national team if he is not made the chief coach. He was bowling coach of the Indian between 2007 and 2009, and also worked with the now suspended IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore. Once Gary Kirsten took charge in 2008, Prasad fell out of favour with Eric Simons replacing him as the bowling coach.

The 46-year-old was the head coach of Uttar Pradesh before taking over as the chairman of the junior selection committee. Recently, Prasad was linked to replace Heath Streak as Bangladesh bowling coach but he expressed his desire to serve the Indian team. In his playing career, Prasad represented India in 33 Tests and 161 ODIs taking 96 and 196 wickets respectively. Once a new ball partner of India's then fastest bowler Javagal Srinath, Prasad was known for his slower deliveries and effective leg-cutters. His finest moment was guiding India to victory against Pakistan with a five-wicket haul (5/27) in a 1999 World Cup encounter in Manchester. During his first coaching stint, one thing that his detractors used to say that fast bowlers concentrated more on line and length rather than focussing on pace.

Balwinder Singh Sandhu applies for job 

Former India medium pacer Balwinder Singh Sandhu is the latest Test player to apply for the job of the head coach of the national cricket team and expressed confidence about getting the coveted post.

"Yes, I have applied for the job. I did it last evening and I am quite confident, although I know that Ravi Shastri is the frontrunner," Sandhu told PTI today. 'Ballu', as he is known in cricket circles, will thus be vying for the coveted job alongside his 1983 World Cup-winning team members Shastri, a former team director, current chief selector Sandeep Patil and former India seamer Venkatesh Prasad.

The BCCI has set June 10 as the deadline to receive applications for the coveted post and is expected to finalise the new coaching staff, including the head coach, to accompany Virat Kohli and his men on the July-August Test tour to the West Indies. "We are good friends and I wish them well and know that they would wish me well too," said the 59-year-old, who opened the way for India's victory in the World Cup final against two-time defending champions West Indies on June 25, 1983, by bowling out Gordon Greenidge with a huge inswinger. Sandhu said he has a quarter of a century of coaching experience with various teams and was the first one to introduce video analysis for bowlers when he was the chief coach of the Mumbai Ranji Trophy team 15 years ago.

"I have coached Mumbai, MP and Baroda and also the (defunct) ICL teams," said Sandhu. Sandhu, who represented India in 8 Tests and 22 ODIs between 1983 and 1984, said he was not averse to becoming the bowling coach too, if given an opportunity. "I understand spin bowling too as I started as a spin bowler. Bowling is my USP. I understand the psyche of the bowlers too and in tight situations it's the bowlers who win you games," said Sandhu.