Cricket News: WV Raman pips Gary Kirsten to become India women's cricket coach

Former opener W V Raman has been preferred over celebrated South African Gary Kirsten for the position of India's women's cricket coach despite dissention within the administrators over the selection process. The 53-year-old Raman is currently a batting consultant at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. The selection committee comprised former captain Kapil Dev, Anshuman Gaekwad and Shantha Rangaswamy. The panel recommended three names -- Kirsten, Raman and Venkatesh Prasad in order of preference -- to the Board, a reliable source said. Eventually, the BCCI picked Raman for the job. The appointment was made despite the Committee of Administrators (COA) being divided on the issue with Diana Edulji asking chairman Vinod Rai to put the selection process on hold. BCCI treasurer Anirudh Chaudhry too questioned the process being followed as it had Rai's approval and not Edulji's. Raman, who played 11 Tests and 27 ODIs, is now one of the most qualified coaches in the country. He has coached big Ranji Trophy teams like Tamil Nadu and Bengal, and has also had a stint with the India U-19 team. Besides Kirsten, Raman and Prasad, the other shortlisted candidates out of the 28 applicants who were interviewed on Thursday were Manoj Prabhakar, Trent Johnston, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Brad Hogg and Kalpana Venkatachar. Three were interviewed in person, five candidates, including Kirsten, on Skype and one over the phone.