Anil Kumble in race to become India's chief coach

Former captain and the country’s highest wicket-taker in all forms Anil Kumble has become the biggest name to have applied for the high-profile post of Indian cricket team’s coach.

While the BCCI has stated the number of applicants to be 57 without specifying any names, Kumble’s candidature makes it interesting as by sheer weight of his stature, he would be a few notches above former team director Ravi Shastri and chairman of selectors Sandeep Patil.

“Yes, Kumble has applied for the post and probably is the biggest name doing the rounds. His name in the mix makes it very interesting,” a BCCI official told PTI today.

When asked about his coaching credentials, the official said: “He has been a mentor in both Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians. Mentors are basically extension of coaches and no one can doubt Anil’s knowledge of the game. He has a towering personality and every member of this current team has huge respect for him.”

Kumble has 619 wickets from 132 Tests and 337 wickets in 271 ODIs, apart from 2506 Test match runs with an overseas hundred. He has also captained India for a year before retiring and is considered to be a credible voice in Indian cricket circles.