Former Indian pacer Balwinder Singh Sandhu applies for role of team India coach

Balwinder Singh Sandhu during an interview (Source – The Hindu)

Former Indian fast bowler Balwinder Singh Sandhu became the newest candidate to apply for the India coaching role. The Mumbai-born cricketer was a member of the historic 1983 World Cup squad which went on to win the title in England.

The 59-year-old applied for the position via email on 7 May, apart from sending a hard copy of his application to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). However, Sandhu is not the only 1983 World Cup winner who applied for the glamorous post, previously Sandeep Patil and former Indian team director Ravi Shastri also activated their candidature.

Sandhu, who picked up the first wicket for team India in the 1983 World Cup final at Lords also wished his former teammates good luck. Speaking to mid-day, he said, "I am aware that Sandeep and Ravi have applied for the job. I wish my teammates the best. I've known Sandeep for a long time and where Ravi is concerned, we go back a long way since our University cricket days."

The pacer made his international debut in an ODI match against arch-rivals Pakistan in 1982 at Gujranwala. He represented India in 8 Test matches and in 22 ODIs. The right-handed batsman has scored 214 Test runs and 51 ODI runs and also picked up 10 Test and 16 ODI wickets with his right-arm fast bowling.

He played his last international match against Pakistan at Sialkot in 1984, after that he was dropped from the national team and never got a callback. Though, he continued to play domestic cricket for Mumbai until the 1986-87 domestic season.

Sandhu has a successful domestic coaching career

Sandhu straight away started coaching after he quit professional cricket. He began at the local level and then graduated to being one of the most successful BCA-Mafatlal Bowling Scheme in the early part of the 1990s. In the 1996-97 Ranji season, when Mumbai won the Ranji Trophy title under the leadership of Sanjay Majrekar, Sandhu was the coach of the team.

In 1998 when the Mumbai side defeated the touring Australian team under the leadership of Mark Taylor by 10 wickets, he was still the coach of the team. The former pacer also coached Maharashtra and Baroda and also spent time at the National Cricket Academy.

At the moment, Sandhu is part of the Mumbai Cricket Association-IDBI Federal Life Insurance Bowling Foundation.