Spin bowling great Anil Kumble is among the biggest names to have applied for the high-profile job as India head coach, according to media reports.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said Sunday that it had received 57 applications for the post but did not reveal any names.

Former team director Ravi Shastri, current chief selector Sandeep Patil and ex-pace bowler Venkatesh Prasad were among a few top former players who made their coaching intentions public.

But on Monday Kumble, who has mentored Indian Premier League sides such as Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore, was reported to have also thrown his hat in the ring.

"Yes, I have applied," the former India skipper was quoted as saying by The Indian Express newspaper.

The 45-year-old bagged 619 Test wickets in 132 matches and is only the second bowler in cricket history after England's Jim Laker to have taken all 10 in a Test innings.

Kumble has previously served as the president of his state association in Karnataka and headed BCCI's technical committee. He is currently the chairman of the ICC cricket committee.

However Kumble does not fit the BCCI criteria of having "coached a cricket team of any of the member countries of the ICC (International Cricket Council), at the first class or at the International level".

Overseas coaches such as Australia's Stuart Law and Dav Whatmore, who was recently sacked by Zimbabwe, are also being floated by India's media as possible applicants.

The list will now be pruned by board secretary Ajay Shirke and the appointment of the new coach is expected to be made before India's tour to the West Indies in July.

The BCCI said on Sunday that the list of 57 will now be scrutinised, with a final decision expected to be made before India tour the West Indies in July.

"After this initial scrutiny, the list of candidates who meet the criteria will be processed for further consideration," the BCCI said in a statement.

Limited-overs skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni said last week that whoever wins the role needed to have an understanding of the country's "culture".

"More than Hindi, English, one who understands our culture and our upbringing, the one who understands these sorts of things, he will always be better with us," said Dhoni.

"In the past, too, these things have been important, and the coaches who have understood us better, it has made a difference at the ground level."