The support staff of India’s women’s cricket team are set to be handed a long-term contract, instead of going series-by-series – what has been the norm over the last few years.

In its virtual meeting late on Sunday, the apex council of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) discussed that all the coaches – batting, bowling, fielding and S&C – will be given long-term contracts in order to maintain continuity and stability.

“As of now, the process has been to appoint coaches from the National Cricket Academy on a temporary basis, but the apex council believed that going forward, it is important to have a long-term coaching staff. It will give stability to the team,” a source in the BCCI, told  Sportstar.

The BCCI is expected to to invite applications for the position of head coach – that has been lying vacant since December last year after Ramesh Powar’s transfer to the National Cricket Academy. As per the BCCI constitution, the head coach is supposed to be picked by the Cricket Advisory Committee while the selectors are to select the support staff. After Mithu Mukherjee’s term ended last September, the national women’s selection committee still does not have a representative from the East Zone and in January, the Board had invited applications. The interview process is expected to begin soon.

The virtual meeting also had discussions on the media rights for the home season for the 2023-2027 cycle. While no decisions were taken on the issue, the office-bearers are expected to deliberate further and make a call on the issue.