Powar to be Mumbai coach
MUMBAI: The tussle between the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) office-bearers and the Cricket Improvement Committee (CIC) over who will coach Mumbai was settled on Tuesday with Ramesh Powar appointed as the coach for the Vijay Hazare Trophy starting from February 20. The CIC had suggested the name of Powar.
Powar will replace Amit Pagnis, who stepped down after Mumbai’s below-par showing in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. The MCA office-bearers had approached Amol Muzumdar to take over the reins, but it is learnt that the former Mumbai captain was not convinced with a short-term contract. The former India off-spinner’s contract is only for the Vijay Hazare Trophy but the 42-year-old isn’t worried about the tenure.
“I would like to thank the MCA and the CIC for believing in my ability. I am in it, because I feel for Mumbai so the tenure doesn’t matter. I have seen Mumbai cricket closely and I want them to get on the right path. We have had great success in the past and I will try to inculcate an attitude of winning and playing superior cricket than other teams,” said the former India off-spinner.
Powar feels that Mumbai has a good bunch of players who will be eager to put behind the disappointment of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. “The players will be keen because they know the performance in Mushtaq Ali hasn’t been the greatest; they have a point to prove and they will work towards it. They are a very determined group of players. I’m looking at the brighter side, let’s go forward,” said Powar. In the past, Powar has coached the India women’s team and was the spin bowling coach at the National Cricket Academy till recently.
The team for the Hazare Trophy will be picked on Wednesday followed by a couple of days of practice from Thursday before leaving for Jaipur. Mumbai are placed in Group D alongside Delhi, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and Puducherry.