Is Munish Bali’s run with team India over? BCCI invites applications for women’s team fielding coach position

Munish Bali has been with the Indian women’s team since 2022. | Photo Credit: EMMANUAL YOGINI

The Board of Control for Cricket in India has invited applications for two key positions - the fielding coach role with the national’s women’s team and the head physiotherapist position with the senior men’s side.

Munish Bali is the fielding coach with the Smriti Mandhana-led women’s side and has come under fire throughout his term for India’s inconsistent performances in the field. Even the recent Zimbabwe ODI series saw India make amateur errors in the field with its fielding and catching inefficiencies being a persistant bugbear in the side’s development. He has been with the Indian side since 2022.

The former India Women Under-19 fielding coach previously led Punjab U-15, U-16, U-17 and U-19 teams. Bali was the assistant coach with the 2008 World Cup-winning India U-19 team and part of the Indian women’s cricket team in 2011 and 2012 too.

In a circular issued by the board, some of the key responsibilities for the job are to develop and implement comprehensive fielding programmes to build a world-class fielding unit, include individual coaching for skill development, use technology to monitor performance indicators, and maintain fielding standards across formats and playing conditions.

Applications are being accepted online here.

BCCI’s application guidelines for the role of fielding coach for the women’s senior side

- Represented India or another country at the international level; or

- Hold a minimum BCCI Level ‘B’ coaching certification, or an equivalent certification from a reputed organisation or institute, and have played a minimum of 30 First-Class (FC) matches; or

- Have coached an international team for at least one season, or a T20 franchise or state team for at least two seasons.

Senior men seek a head physio

After Kamlesh Jain, the head physiotherapist with India’s men’s cricket team, submitted his resignation to the BCCI in September, the Board has invited applicants for his role with the senior side. The Chennai-based physio is set to end his four-year association with the side when India concludes its New Zealand tour in December.

Jain replaced Nitin Patel as the physio in June 2022, with Patel moving to the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. Patel has since left the CoE to join Mumbai Indians.

Recruited from Kolkata Knight Riders during Rahul Dravid’s tenure as India coach, Jain is believed to have sought a move away from the national team because of the extensive travel involved. Jain was the bridge between the CoE, the selectors and the coaching staff when it came to players’ fitness.

The role involves match-day physio services, day-to-day injury management, prompt diagnosis of injuries and evidence-based treatment and return-to-play plans. The BCCI’s job advert also lists contributing to research and development, professional education and the improvement of clinical protocols as a key responsibility in a role which will involve coordination with the BCCI’s Sports Science and Medicine (SSM) team and the Centre of Excellence.

BCCI’s application guidelines for the role of head physio of the senior men’s side

A postgraduate qualification specialising in Sports or Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy, Sports and Exercise Medicine, or Sports Rehabilitation.

A minimum of 10 years of experience in providing physiotherapy services.

Experience working with elite athletes or teams, preferably high-performance squads.

Extensive experience in musculoskeletal and sports injury diagnosis, differential diagnosis, radiological understanding, and early- and end-stage injury management.

Advanced Life Support and Trauma Management training completed within the past two years, which must be in place before commencing the role.

Applications are being accepted online here.

The last day to apply for both roles is November 16, with the window closing at 5 PM IST.