Harbhajan Singh takes a 360-degree turn on becoming India's Head Coach

Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh is not running the race to become the Indian team's next head coach after the ICC T20 World Cup 2024.

The role of the Indian cricket team's head coach is one of the most exclusive and hectic sporting jobs around the world which requires a lot of grit and patience. With cricket being nothing less than a religion in India, the head coach often goes through plenty of trials from the fans when things do not move as planned.

BCCI's hunt for a new head coach will be a thorough process and the apex board would want a candidate who can take the team to the next.

The urgency and need will further increase if Rohit Sharma's men do not end up winning the ICC T20 WC 2024 in the USA and West Indies. After two lost opportunities last year, the T20 WC will be Rahul Dravid's last shot at international silverware as head coach.

Harbhajan Singh takes a U-turn on his wish to be India's head coach

Harbhajan Singh, who has been a part of 2 World Cup-winning Indian sides, had expressed his desire to take over as India's next head coach after Dravid. The former off-spinner has never embarked on the role of being a coach of any team not even in the IPL. Usually, former cricketers accept roles in IPL franchises as head coaches, and team Directors among others but Bhajji has yet to accept one.

Ever since his retirement, we have seen Harbhajan Singh play cricket in the Legends League Cricket tournament but he has never appeared in a dugout. His life after cricket has been all about commentating and appearing as an expert pundit with various media outlets, most notably with Star Sports.

For Harbhajan Singh, the definition of being India's head coach is also quite different. While normal people will feel that to be a coach, one will need to teach the players how they can play a shot but it's not about that only. Bhajji feels that it's about team as well as man management skills.

The Indian dressing room will always be filled with Superstar players. Maintaining them, getting them on the same page without any indifference, and bringing the best out of the players, are the main criteria for a head coach. Harbhajan Singh had also claimed that it's about giving guidance to the players.

"I do not know if I would apply. Coaching India is about man management, not about teaching players how to drive and pull. They know it very well. You can give some guidance to them. Cricket has given me so much, and if I get a chance to give it back, I would be more than happy." - Harbhajan Singh had told the Times of India.

But after expressing his thoughts on the coaching role, Bhajji hasn't applied for the job.

May 27th - the deadline for application

May 27th, which is a day after the IPL 2024 final, is the deadline that BCCI has set for all the applicants for the India head coaching role. The new coach is expected to take over after the T20 World Cup and the new coach's contract will run from July 1, 2024, to December 31, 2027.