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[Saba Sports News] Jay Shah, the BCCI secretary, announced in Mumbai that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to advertise for a new coach soon. He stated, “Rahul’s tenure ends in June. He’s free to reapply,” highlighting that the position will be open for applications. Shah also mentioned that the selection of other coaching roles such as batting, bowling, and fielding coaches will depend on consultations with the new head coach. He did not dismiss the possibility of hiring a foreign coach, keeping options open.
On the nationality of the new coach, Shah remarked, “We can’t pre-determine whether the new coach will be Indian or foreign. That decision rests with the CAC, as we operate on a global scale.” He implied that the BCCI does not plan to follow the trend of having different coaches for different formats, which is practiced by other boards like the ECB and PCB.
“The decision about coaching for different formats will also be made by the CAC. Considering we have several players who participate across formats, like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Rishabh Pant, we see no need to change our approach,” Shah explained.
He confirmed a long-term vision for the coaching role, saying, “The new coach will be appointed for a term of three years initially.”
Regarding the IPL’s Impact Player rule, Shah said, “The rule was a trial to allow two additional Indian players in the XI. We will review its continuation with the stakeholders, including franchises and broadcasters. As of now, there’s been no negative feedback to warrant its removal.”
He revealed that meetings with IPL franchises regarding player retention rules would happen shortly. He also addressed rumors about the revival of the Champions League Twenty20, clarifying that there have been no discussions on this front.
Shah left open the possibility of his candidacy for the ICC chairmanship in November but disclosed ongoing discussions about possibly hosting the World Test Championship final outside England.
In terms of domestic cricket, Shah noted, “The decision to increase remuneration for domestic players lies with the state associations.” He also shared that Hardik Pandya has committed to participating in domestic white-ball cricket following his new A grade contract.
Finally, Shah announced, “We will soon reveal the structure of domestic cricket, and the High-Performance Centre at the NCA in Bengaluru will begin operations in August.”