The Board of Control for Cricket in India’s advisory committee has begun taking interviews for the position of the men’s national team’s head coach on Monday in Mumbai.

The Cricket Advisory Committee, comprising former India cricketers Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman, had received 10 applications for the post, according to reports: Ravi Shastri, Virender Sehwag, Tom Moody, Dodda Ganesh, Lance Klusner, Rakesh Sharma, Lalchand Rajput, Richard Pybus, and an engineer with no background in cricket, Upendranath Brahmachari.

However, out of the 10 candidates, the CAC is expected to interview only six – Shastri, Sehwag, Moody, Rajput, Simmons and Pybus – according to PTI. Out of these, former team director Shastri, former India opener Sehwag and former Australia cricketer Moody are believed to be favourites.

Shastri has been touted the front-runner, given he shares a good rapport with India captain Virat Kohli. However, there have been reports that Shastri does not get along with Ganguly, who had picked Anil Kumble over him last year. Ahead of Shastri’s interview, he was quoted as saying by Times Now that he is “hopeful that no petty games are at play [at the] last minute”.

The position was left vacant after Kumble’s unceremonious exit last month. Kumble was asked to re-apply for the post after his one-year contract ran out, in spite of having a very successful stint. There was speculation of a rift between him and India captain Virat Kohli, although the latter denied it. The next head coach will be given a two-year contract until the 2019 World Cup.