The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently closed its application process for the head coach position of the Indian men’s cricket team, only to find a flood of fake applicants using names of famous personalities.
Among the 3,000 applicants, some notable fake names included Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and cricket legends Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni.
Widespread use of celebrities names for India Coach
The phenomenon of fake applications isn’t new for the BCCI. Alongside political figures like Modi and Shah, the applications also featured names of former cricketers such as Tendulkar, Dhoni, Harbhajan Singh, and Virender Sehwag.
This has posed a significant challenge for the board in terms of screening and validating genuine applications.
Repeat Issue for BCCI
This isn’t the first time the BCCI has faced this issue. In 2022, the board received around 5,000 fake applications when it last advertised for the head coach position.
Back then, applications were submitted via email, but this time, the BCCI opted for Google forms to streamline the process. However, the problem of fake applications persisted.
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Challenges of screening Fake applications
“Last year too, the BCCI received such a response where imposters applied, and the story is similar this time,” said a BCCI official to Indian Express. The official noted that Google forms were chosen for their ease of screening, allowing the board to quickly sort through the large volume of applications in a single sheet.
Criteria for New India Head Coach
In its job advertisement, the BCCI outlined several key qualities for the head coach position. The ideal candidate must be capable of managing the pressures associated with handling marquee athletes and committed to developing a world-class Indian cricket team.
The coach is expected to inspire current and future generations of cricketers and stakeholders with their approach to the game.
Looking Ahead for BCCI
The new head coach’s tenure will begin following the T20 World Cup in the USA and Caribbean next month. The current head coach, Rahul Dravid, whose tenure started in December 2021, has decided not to seek an extension.
The BCCI is focused on finding a successor who can lead the team through to the 2027 50-over World Cup in South Africa.
As the BCCI works through the fake applications, the cricketing world awaits the announcement of the new head coach who will take the helm of the Indian team and guide them through the upcoming challenges and opportunities in international cricket.
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