Ajay Ratra is the latest to enroll his name for the post of Mumbai Ranji team's coach. The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) had invited applications from candidates for Mumbai’s senior and under-19 teams, the deadline for which ended on Tuesday. Ratra is one of three former first-class cricketers, off-spinner Ramesh Powar and Mumbai wicket-keeper Vinayak Samant, to have applied for the senior team coach’s role.

Ratra who coached Punjab Ranji team till last year said to Indian Express "  I’m still to get clarity from Punjab whether they want me to continue or not. I checked with the association but they said there is some case date which is scheduled in the coming days. When Mumbai’s invitation came out, I straight away applied for it. It’s a big team and I felt I could contribute more. I can share my experience and get the best from the players there". 

Mumbai Cricket Association received a very weak response after the state team has a miserable season last year.  Former Indian off-spinner, Ramesh Powar has applied for the position of head coach of the Mumbai Ranji Team. A veteran of over 140 first class games, Powar wants to start a new journey in the field of coaching and is interested in once again contributing to the success of Mumbai Cricket. 

Maharashtra's Nandan Phadnis, Vidarbha off-spinner Pritam Gandhe and former Mumbai under-19 coach Vinod Raghvan are learnt to have applied for both jobs.

Former off-spinner Gandhe has been a national junior selector while also having been involved in camps organised by the Zonal Cricket Academy.

Meanwhile, the MCA has received eight applications for the under-19 coach’s role. They include Suresh Shetty, Vikrant Gonnade, Usman Malvi, Pradeep Kasliwal, Kiran Powar, Sandeep Dahad, Santosh Saxena and Manoj Joglekar.

Ratra, a former India wicketkeeper has played 6 Tests and 12 ODIs all in 2002 and played first-class cricket for Haryana for 15 years before calling time on his career following the 2012-13 season.