Virender Sehwag denies sending two-line CV for Team India coaching role

What’s the story?

Former Indian opener Virender Sehwag has dismissed reports of him sending a two-line resume for the role of Team India’s head coach. Shedding light into the experience of playing alongside Sachin Tendulkar, the 38-year old also named Sourav Ganguly as his all-time favourite captain.

In an interview with UCWeb, Sehwag said, “I would be happy to get that two line CV from the media source. If I had to send a two line resume, my name was enough.”

Opening up on the influence of his erstwhile team mates, he affirmed, “Sourav (Ganguly) taught me how to keep patience and is my all-time favourite Captain. On the other hand, Sachin (Tendulkar) gave me confidence, broke my superstitions and playing with him was like playing with the wall, you could play without any tension and hit boundaries freely.”

The context

Earlier this month, reports emerged of Sehwag sending a two-line application for the post of Indian team’s head coach. Further more, a BCCI source divulged that the board had asked him to send his detailed CV before appearing for the interview.

The heart of the matter

The Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), comprising Tendulkar, Ganguly and VVS Laxman, will interview candidates and take a decision on Team India’s head coach. The move has been precipitated due to the fact that Anil Kumble’s contract is set to come to an end upon the completion of the 2017 Champions Trophy. There have also been reports of an alleged rift between the legendary leg-spinner and skipper Virat Kohli.

Extra Cover: Timeline of the Indian cricket team coaching saga

However, Kumble is likely to get an extension for India’s upcoming limited-overs tour of West Indies. It is pertinent to note that the CAC are keen on mending the allegedly fractured relationship between the two heavyweights of Indian cricket. If they are unable to do so, then the likes of Sehwag, Tom Moody, Richard Pybus, Dodda Ganesh and Lalchand Rajput will be in the running for the coveted post.

Parallels from history

It is no surprise that Sehwag chose Ganguly as his all-time favourite captain. The attacking right-hander played a whopping 133 matches under the latter’s captaincy across both Tests and ODIs. After beginning his career in the middle-order, he was promoted to the opening slot during that particular era and never looked back since then.

Author’s take

For continuity’s sake, India will certainly benefit from retaining the services of Kumble as head coach. In case there arises a need for alternative options, Sehwag and Moody appear to be the front-runners for the role.