Communication in Hindi desirable but not mandatory for coach: BCCI

New Delhi, June 2। Contrary to certain reports, which stated the ability to communicate in Hindi is mandatory for the Indian team's head coach's job, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Thursday clarified thatthis is "desirable but by no means mandatory".

BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke said in a statement that the candidate must be proficient in English and preferably in an Indian language.

"This is to clarify Point No. 6 of the advertisement issued by the BCCI, inviting applications for the post of head coach for the Indian team reads as follows: Communication skills befitting the coach of an International team are mandatory along with the ability to effectively convey the right messages and must demonstrate proficiency in English," Shirke said.

"The ability to communicate in an Indian language is desirable but by no means mandatory," he added.

The cricket board on Wednesday issued an advertisement for the post of head coach, which has been lying vacant since Zimbabwean Duncan Fletcher's contract ended after the 2015 World Cup.

The board has set June 10 as the deadline for candidates to apply for the post.

After Fletcher's tenure, former India skipper Ravi Shastri served as the team director till the World T20 in April while Sanjay Bangar, Bharath Arun and R. Sridhar teamed up respectively as the batting, bowling and fielding coaches.

The board has also set a list of criterion which the applicants must fulfil before applying for the top coach job.

Last week, the BCCI appointed former India all-rounder Bangar as the interim head coach for the limited overs tour of Zimbabwe, starting June 11 while former domestic cricketer Abhay Sharma was named the fielding coach.