Bangar named coach for Zimbabwe tour

New Delhi, May 26

Former India and Railways all-rounder Sanjay Bangar was on Thursday named coach for the national cricket team’s upcoming tour to Zimbabwe.

There was no place for Bharat Arun and R Sridhar in the support staff.

The Indian cricket team is slated to play three T20s and three ODIs in Zimbabwe, starting June 11. The selectors had named a largely inexperienced squad for the tour, which will be led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

“Mr Sanjay Bangar has been appointed as the Head Coach of the Indian cricket team for the forthcoming tour to Zimbabwe, which commences on the 8th of June comprising 3 One-Day International matches and 3 T20 International matches to be played in Harare,” BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke said in a statement.

Another former first-class cricketer, Abhay Sharma, has been appointed as the fielding coach of the team in place of Sridhar. Sharma has been working as the India U-19 fielding coach under Rahul Dravid.

Employed for a while as the senior team’s bowling coach and fielding coach respectively, Arun and Sridhar’s names did not figure in the support staff for the upcoming tour.

The board statement further read, “The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has appointed Mr Koka Ramesh, a former cricketer and Zonal Secretary of the Andhra Cricket Association, as the Administrative Manager of the Indian team for the tour to Zimbabwe.” — PTI