The search for the head coach of the India women’s cricket team is still ongoing, as the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) has taken a new approach by suggesting interviews for fielding and bowling coaches. The committee recently conducted the first round of interviews, signaling that the process to fill the coaching positions is moving forward.
Addressing the media after meeting with the staging state associations of the World Cup in New Delhi, BCCI secretary Jay Shah confirmed the CAC’s decision. He stated, “CAC have already done one round of interviews and they feel there is a need for fielding and bowling coach. So that process will happen before the announcement is made.”
While there have been speculations about potential candidates, including Amol Muzumdar as a front-runner for a role in the backroom set-up, the Indian cricket board has not yet made any official announcement in this regard.
The vacancy for the head coach position arose in December of the previous year when Ramesh Powar was transferred to the National Cricket Academy (NCA). Powar had two stints with the Indian team and was appointed as the head coach for the second time in May 2021.
Under Powar’s guidance, the Indian women’s team had a disappointing outing during the ODI World Cup in 2022. However, they redeemed themselves by securing a silver medal in the Commonwealth Games.
Following Powar’s departure, Hrishikesh Kanitkar assumed the interim coaching role, overseeing important assignments such as the five-match series against Australia at home in December 2022, the tri-series in South Africa (also involving West Indies) in January-February 2023, and the T20 World Cup 2023 in South Africa. During this period, Troy Cooley from Australia was appointed as the bowling coach.
Despite their efforts, the Women in Blue faced mixed results, losing the bilateral series against Australia, reaching the final but falling short in the tri-series against South Africa, and exiting the T20 World Cup after a loss to Australia in the semi-final.
After the T20 World Cup, the Indian team traveled to Bangladesh, where Nooshin Al Khadeer was appointed as the interim coach for the tour. The Harmanpreet Kaur-led side emerged victorious in the three-match T20I series, winning 2-1, while the three-match ODI series concluded in a 1-1 draw.
As the Indian team prepares for their next challenge against South Africa in September 2023, with three ODIs and as many T20Is scheduled, fans eagerly await the official announcement of the coaching staff. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is expected to finalize the coaching appointments before the upcoming series.
The process of selecting coaches has become a matter of keen interest among cricket enthusiasts, and updates on the team’s coaching staff are being closely monitored by fans and media alike. As the search for the head coach continues, cricket enthusiasts eagerly await the latest developments in Indian women’s cricket.
