Sachin Tendulkar, Narendra Modi, and MS Dhoni among renowned names used by fake applicants for Team India head coaching job - Reports

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has received several fake applications with renowned names like Narendra Modi, Sachin Tendulkar, and MS Dhoni for the Indian head coaching job, per reports from The Indian Express. BCCI has reportedly received over 3,000 applicants for the role but most have been fake with the names of famous cricketers and politicians.

The deadline for applying to the role was Monday, May 27, leaving the BCCI to decide on the next Team India coach.

Incidentally, BCCI invited applications for the Indian coaching job on Google Forms on May 13, and have since witnessed a flurry of fake applicants daily. The governing body faced similar issues in 2022 when interested candidates were requested to E-mail their applications.

"Last year too, the BCCI received such a response where imposters applied and the story is similar this time. The reason the BCCI had to invite applications on Google forms is it’s easy to scrutinise the names of applicants in one sheet," a BCCI source told the Indian Express.

Former cricketer Rahul Dravid has been the Indian head coach since December 2021. However, his tenure will end after the upcoming T20 World Cup in the West Indies and USA.

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Jay Shah dismissed approaching Australian cricketers for the India coaching role

BCCI secretary Jay Shah recently rubbished reports of the board offering the Indian head coaching job to former Australian cricketers and them subsequently denying it.

Shah issued a statement after Ricky Ponting and Justin Langer admitted being approached for the role.

"Neither I nor the BCCI have approached any former Australian cricketer with a coaching offer. The reports circulating in certain media sections are completely incorrect. Finding the right coach for our national team is a meticulous and thorough process. We are focused on identifying individuals who possess a deep understanding of the Indian cricket structure and have risen through the ranks," said Jay Shah.

Meanwhile, other names thrown into the mix have been former cricketers like Stephen Fleming, Mahela Jayawardene, and Gautam Gambhir.

Gambhir recently helped Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) clinch their third IPL title as a team mentor.