Dubai: Indian legends Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and V.V.S. Laxman will form the advisory panel that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) hope will take the team to new heights in world cricket.
The trio of batting greats, who were instrumental in Team India gaining international acclaim during the 2000s, will focus on improving the standard of the team and reversing their poor showings in foreign conditions. They carry with them the experience of having scored more than 33,000 runs in Test cricket.
For Tendulkar, the highest run-scorer of all time, Ganguly, who was hailed as one of India’s finest captains, and Laxman will advise the BCCI on various steps they think are needed to improve Indian cricket.
BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya, who nominated the trio, said on Monday: “I am happy to note that our eminent cricketers have come forward to lend their experience and insights as we work towards a common goal of taking Indian cricket to greater heights.
“The coming generations are bound to benefit from the guidance that will be provided by these luminaries and will go a long way to strengthening our existing system.”
He added: “The areas of immediate focus will be to provide guidance to our national team as we set out to enhance our performance on overseas engagements, provide direction to improve our talent pathway and take steps to strengthen domestic cricket to better prepare our players to handle the rigours of international cricket.”
It was rumoured that Rahul Dravid might also be part of the advisory panel, but he wasn’t named on Monday.
India are yet to name a replacement for head coach Duncan Fletcher and many believed that Ganguly would be the man, but he has opted for this new role.
The advisory panel may now decide on the next coach, which is likely to be a foreigner.
It is not yet known whether team director Ravi Shastri will be ready to continue in the post for India’s tour to Bangladesh later this month following the formation of this advisory panel. If not, the BCCI may assign one of the members of the panel to accompany the team as a mentor.
The team is due to fly out to Bangladesh on June 7 for a one Test and three One Day International tour.
It is understood that India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni suggested the name of Chennai Super Kings teammate Michael Hussey for the coach’s role. Former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming was also apparently approached, but he reportedly turned down the offer.
If the committee opts for an Indian coach, then Dravid, who has impressed in the role of mentor for Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League, may be approached. Other Indians who may be in the running are Sanjay Bangar, Bharat Arun and R. Sridhar, who were all part of the support staff during the recent World Cup.
