Controversy over Mumbai coach selection for Vijay Hazare Trophy

MUMBAI: The process to appoint the Mumbai coach for the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy got messier on Friday. While the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) suggested the name of former Mumbai stalwart Amol Muzumdar, the Cricket Improvement Committee (CIC) has proposed the name of former India off-spinner Ramesh Powar.

According to the MCA constitution, it is the job of the CIC to decide on the appointment of the coaches and selectors. MCA’s decision to go ahead without consulting the CIC has stumped everyone.

In a letter, signed by secretary Sanjay Naik and joint-secretary Shahalam Shaikh, addressed to the CIC chairman Lalchand Rajput, MCA states: “We have appointed Amol Muzumdar as the coach of Mumbai senior men’s team for the season 2020-21. We are sure that you would appreciate that there is limited time on hand and Amol Muzumdar is more than capable for the job.”

Rajput in his reply stated that CIC doesn’t agree with MCA’s decision. “The CIC has the prerogative to appoint the coach and the CIC committee feels that Ramesh Powar is the right candidate to be the coach of the Mumbai senior team since he has been the coach of the India women’s team and is associated with the National Cricket academy as a senior coach,” Rajput stated in a mail to MCA.

He added: “We as CIC committee had written a letter regarding the resignation of the coach and you haven’t replied yet and suddenly today you are appointing him (Muzumdar). The CIC committee doesn’t agree with it and the committee’s choice is Ramesh Powar.”

Earlier in the season, CIC had first selected Sulakshan Kulkarni’s name for the coach’s post but when he declined the “short term” offer, Amit Pagnis was appointed as the coach. Pagnis resigned after Mumbai’s poor performance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.