Gary Kirsten Turns Down Offer To Coach India Women Cricket Team, Amol Muzumdar And Charlotte Edwards In Contention

Former South Africa opener and Team India men’s team head coach Gary Kirsten has turned down the offer from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to become the new head coach of India women cricket team. Kirsten, according to reports, was approached by the BCCI to replace Hrishikesh Kanitkar, who is currently the interim head coach of the women’s team.

According to a report on ESPNCricinfo website, Kirsten has cited his commitment with T20 franchises – including IPL 2022 champions Gujarat Titans – for his failure to take up this position with the India women’s cricket team. “ESPNcricinfo has learnt the board was keen on appointing Gary Kirsten for the top job but wasn't able to get him onboard due to his commitments in the IPL and other leagues. Among those in contention are Amol Muzumdar, the former Mumbai captain, and Hrishikesh Kanitkar, the former India allrounder and current interim head coach. The search for a ‘big international name’ is believed to be one of the reasons for the delay in appointment,” a report in the website said.

Former England captain Charlotte Edwards, who is the head coach of Mumbai Indians women’s team in the Women’s Premier League (WPL), is also believed to be another person in contention for the job but she hasn’t officially applied for the position yet.

“The new coach is likely to be given a two-year term to begin with, especially because there are two ICC events – the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in 2024 and the 50-over World Cup in India in 2025 – within this period,” the report added.

Meanwhile, the BCCI on Monday announced the appointments for the Women’s Selection Committee and Junior Cricket Committee. The selection process was overseen by the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), which included eminent members Ms Sulakshana Naik, Mr Ashok Malhotra, and Mr Jatin Paranjape.

_ NEWS _: BCCI announces Women's Selection Committee & Junior Cricket Committee appointments.

The CAC has unanimously recommended Ms Shyama Dey Shaw and Mr VS Thilak Naidu for the said positions.

More Details _https://t.co/EGKhomrBE1 — BCCI (@BCCI) June 19, 2023

After a thorough screening of applications, the CAC has unanimously recommended Shyama Dey Shaw and VS Thilak Naidu for the positions of selector in the Women’s Selection Committee and Junior Cricket Committee, respectively. Their wealth of experience and knowledge of the game made them stand out among the applicants.

Shaw, an accomplished left-handed batter and medium-pace bowler, has an impressive cricketing career. She represented India in three Tests and five One-Day Internationals. At the domestic level, she initially played for Bengal from 1985 to 1997 before joining Railways from 1998 to 2002. Following her playing career, Shaw served as a Bengal selector for two terms, exhibiting her passion for identifying and nurturing talent.