Gary Kirsten, Ramesh Powar in the fray as interviews for India women’s team coach begin on Thursday

India’s World Cup-winning coach Gary Kirsten headlines the shortlist to be interviewed on Thursday for the post of women’s team head coach vacated by Ramesh Powar, ESPNCricinfo reported.

Kirsten and his South Africa teammate Herschelle Gibbs are the most high-profile overseas names in the list, that also includes Powar.

BCCI has been looking for a new head coach for the women’s team after Powar’s brief stint ended last month, in rather controversial circumstances. “The ad-hoc panel comprises former players of high repute. I have no doubt that the committee will pick the best one,” a BCCI official was quoted as saying by PTI.

India veteran Mithali Raj accused Powar of humiliating and ignoring her before dropping her for the ICC Women’s World T20 semi-final against England. India went on to lose that match.

While India’s T20I skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, along with the BCCI’s Committee of Administrators member Diana Edulji have all called for Powar to be given an extension, CoA chief Vinod Rai ruled it out.

Powar, since, had re-applied for the position and is still in the running.

It was under Kirsten’s watch that India’s men’s team won the 2011 World Cup. The South African had been head coach of the Indian team for three years from 2008-2011. He then coached South Africa from 2011-2013. He is currently the head coach of the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League.

Former Indian cricketers Manoj Prabhakar and WV Raman (who has deputised for Rahul Dravid on India U-19 duty) and Dmitri Mascarenhas of England are also in the shortlist, according to the report, alongside Brad Hogg and Trent Johnston. Gargi Banerji and Arati Vaidya are the former women’s cricketers on the list.

Former India pacer Venkatesh Prasad is also in the running, PTI reported.

BCCI earlier announced the formation of an ad-hoc committee to conduct the interviews of eligible candidates for the post.

The panel consists of former Indian cricketers Kapil Dev, Anshuman Gaekwad and Shantha Rangaswamy. The interviews will be conducted on December 20 at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai.

The BCCI has been looking for a new head coach for the women’s team after Ramesh Powar’s brief stint as interim coach ended last month, in rather controversial circumstances.