If Kohli is boss, why have a coach at all: Prasanna

Kolkata, June 23 

Former India spinner Erapalli Prasanna took a dig at Virat Kohli and said if the current skipper feels he is the “boss” of the Indian cricket team then the team can do without a coach. Prasanna sounded cynical in his response when asked about the rift between Kohli and Anil Kumble. “Why do they require a coach, if the captain is the boss? I don't think they even need the services of batting or fielding coaches (Sanjay Bangar and R Sridhar),” the former spin great said. 

Prasanna also questioned Kohli's captaincy abilities. “Kohli is undoubtedly a very good player but I do not know whether he is a good captain or not,” he said. “If a legendary cricketer like Anil Kumble is not respected, I do not think neither of them — Bangar and Sridhar — will have the guts to speak to Kohli in a confident way. None of them are as experienced as Kumble,” Prasanna said. “Just hire somebody for the physical training and that will be enough. If such is the attitude of a captain I don't think you require a coach,” the 77-year-old said, seemingly upset with Kohli's behaviour. 

BCCI extends coach application deadline       

The Indian cricket board (BCCI) today extended the deadline to apply for the post of head coach till July 9 to ensure a broader pool to choose from after Anil Kumble's acrimonious exit. The applicants should be available for interview in person or via video conferencing by next week, which means the coach will be appointed before the Sri Lanka series starting in last week of July. The extension also gives former team director Ravi Shastri a chance to throw his hat into the ring. As of now, Shastri has not made his intentions clear but sources say he will apply only if he is given the assurance that he would be appointed.

Coach should earn 60% of skipper's fees: Kumble

Remunerations dominated former India coach Anil Kumble's 19-page proposal on restructuring of contracts to BCCI in which he had demanded that the “chief coach should earn 60 percent of the captain’s estimated earnings”. The document also supported national coaches “earning from IPL” to “augment their income” without specifying whether it amounts to 'Conflict of Interest'.

He had also suggested that 20 percent of the players' central contracts should be variable pay based on their “fitness standards”.

Kumble, on page 12 of the document, proposed a hike for the support staff.  Suggesting a hike of Rs 7.5 crore from the current Rs 6.5 crore for the head coach, Kumble in the 'Remarks' column wrote: “At 60 per cent of captain’s estimated earnings'. — Agencies