Australian Craig McDermott in the running to replace Anil Kumble

What’s the story?

In the build-up to their crucial ICC Champions Trophy 2017 clash against Pakistan, India have been in the news for all the wrong reasons. A lot of them have to do with the uncertainty surrounding the next India coach and now Craig McDermott has added his name to the list.

The former Australian international has joined the list of six confirmed applicants for the role, which the BCCI have remained tight-lipped about so far. He previously served as Australia’s bowling coach and according to Sportstar, has thrown his name in the hat to replace Anil Kumble, whose contract expires this month.

While his name has barely been mentioned, he admitted that the process was completed “on time” and the application was sent “much earlier”.

“I have had aspirations for a while to be a head coach. I was away from cricket coaching for a year, and now, I want to come back to it. I have also enjoyed my time in India, and it would be nice to serve Indian cricket,” he said.

Extra Cover: Anil Kumble, Virender Sehwag among six applicants for role of India coach

In case you didn’t know…

Even as India have won both their warm-up matches against New Zealand and Bangladesh and look set to take on Pakistan in their opening Champions Trophy encounter, speculation has been rife about who would replace Anil Kumble, whose contract as the coach of the Indian side expires this month.

The Details

Earlier, it emerged that Anil Kumble, Virender Sehwag, Tom Moody were among six applicants for the post and now the 52-year-old Australian has joined the list as well. He was the bowling coach for Australia when they won the 2015 World Cup and also oversaw an Ashes triumph.

Although there are big names competing for the coveted position, McDermott is quietly confident and he believes that he would be able to cope with the players and manage and maintain a healthy relationship.

What’s next?

All eyes will turn away from the action on the field as India take on Pakistan in their opening Champions Trophy clash at Edgbaston on June 4. The process of selecting the next Indian coach is likely to take a while and unlikely to be announced before the conclusion of the tournament.

Extra Cover: ICC Champions Trophy 2017 Schedule: Full time table with venue ground details, PDF download

Author’s Take

With plenty of reports emerging about the state of the dressing room and a rift between captain Kohli and coach Kumble, India certainly have a lot on their plate as they prepare for Pakistan. The process of selecting the next coach won't be easy and while the Australian certainly boasts of a proven track record, there are others, who are more qualified and likely to get the gig.