The Board of Control for Cricket in India on Saturday said Dav Whatmore is a front-runner for the Indian coach's job.
"Yes, there are a few names. The BCCI is approaching it with an open mind. However, considering the availability of the best coaches Dav [Whatmore] is certainly a frontrunner," Board of Control for Cricket in India vice-president Rajiv Shukla said in Chittagong on Saturday.
The BCCI is looking for a new coach after Australian Greg Chappell quit following India's disastrous showing at the World Cup in the West Indies.
Though former all-rounder Ravi Shastri took charge of the team in the role of Cricket Manager for the ongoing Bangladesh tour, he has made it clear that he will not continue beyond the series.
Whatmore, who coached Sri Lanka to the World Cup title in 1996 and Bangladesh to the Super Eights of the 2007 World Cup, has already declared his interest in the Indian job.
"I have already conveyed my interest in coaching India to the BCCI. All I can say is I am ready for the challenge if the opportunity comes. I am as much ready to sink my teeth into problems and find out a solution as the BCCI would want me to," he had said.
However, BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah tried to make light of the matter, saying: "It will not be right to talk about this now as the series is mid-way. The committee will decide everything. But we have a lot of names."
Shah is part of a four-member BCCI team, including president Sharad Pawar, administrative head Professor R S Shetty and vice-president Rajiv Shukla, which arrived in Chittagong on Saturday on an invitation from the Bangladesh Cricket Board to watch the first Test match.
He denied that the top brass of the Board had come to talk to Whatmore.
"We are not talking to him today. If he wants to talk to us we can't stop him," he added.
Whatmore had, earlier this week, admitted that he did have a discussion with Shastri about the job.
"I had a short discussion with Ravi Shastri and was satisfied with the outcome. The discussion was centred on how interested I am. I am satisfied with the initial discussion. I have said in the affirmative," Whatmore said.
Shastri is also a member of the coach selection committee, which will meet on June 4 to finalise the next coach of India. The seven-member committee, headed by Pawar includes former India skippers Sunil Gavaskar, Shastri, S Venkatraghavan, Board Treasurer N Srinivasan and joint-secretary M P Pandove.
Shah said the committee will also discuss about the prospects of having a tri-series featuring India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
