Rathour Front-runner For Batting Coach, Arun Likely To Be Retained As Bowling Coach: Sources

As per BCCI sources placed close to the matter, Vikram Rathour has emerged as the front-runner among the many candidates interviewed for the post of batting coach.

The tantalizing wait of knowing as to who will assist Head Coach Ravi Shastri in Team India's support coaching staff will come to an end on Thursday when the BCCI names the batting, bowling and fielding coach for the national team. In the interim, the candidates who had applied for the positions of batting and bowling coaches were interviewed all day long by the National Selection Committee headed by Chief Selector MSK Prasad on Monday. As per BCCI sources placed close to the matter, Vikram Rathour has emerged as the front-runner among the many candidates interviewed for the post of batting coach. Besides Rathore, J Arun Kumar and Mark Ramprakash are the other major contenders who stand a strong chance of bagging the top job. Sources say selectors have ranked the candidates for the batting coach in the following manner: Batting: 1. Vikram Rathour 2. J Arun Kumar 3. Mark Ramprakash Sources say Vikram Rathour's interview lasted for 1 1/2 hours and selectors quizzed him in detail in batting position and form of Rahane, Prithvi among others. However, the selectors seem to be very impressed with the presentation of Mark Ramprakash but with team management asking for Indian only, selectors are likely to put him in the top three only. Some of the big names in the domestic coaching circuit, Vikram Rathour, Sitanshu Kotak, Hrishikesh Kanitkar, Amol Mazumdar, Pravin Amre — were interviewed for the batting coach job. Former India coach Lalchand Rajput — who was one of the contenders for the head coach position — threw his hat in the ring and presented his study. As far as the bowling coach goes, Bharat Arun is set to retain his spot. As per sources, Paras Mhambrey and Sunil Joshi are the other top contenders for the bowling coach's position among the candidates interviewed. The candidates who had applied for the position of the fielding coach will be interviewed today but R Sridhar is likely to hold on to his post.