Pandit to be Mumbai Ranji coach, Rege chairman of selectors

Mumbai, July 1 (IANS) Former India cricketer Chandrakant Pandit was on Tuesday selected as the coach of Mumbai Ranji team as well as head coach of the Mumbai Cricket Association's (MCA) indoor cricket academy.

The MCA's Cricket Improvement Committee (CIC) headed by MCA vice president, former India skipper, and ex-chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar appointed Pandit as the coach of Mumbai Ranji team and Milind Rege as chairman of selector of senior team.

Vinod Raghvan, Kiran Powar, Prashant Shetty and Dinesh Lad were named as the Under-19, Under-16, Under-14, Under-12 coaches respectively while Devieka Palshikaar was named coach of women senior team and Sanjay Gaitonde as women's Under-19 coach.

Vengksarkar said Pandit, who coached Mumbai in the past, would hold the post for two years, adding that Pravin Amre who was coach in the last season wasn't keen to continue this season.

"Chandrakant was coach of Mumbai in the past and we won lot of titles. I am sure he will deliver well for the team. Pravin Amre who coached last season did a very good job but was not keen to take up the job this season. Pandit is a good guy with good management skills and techniques," he said.

Vengsarkar also said that a batting coach and bowling coach for fast bowlers and spinners would be appointed soon.

Rege would head the senior selection panel, with Karsan Ghavri, Ravi Thaker and Nishit Shetty as the other members, while Ranjan Baindoor, Ramesh Vajge, and Rajesh Sutar were named chairmen of U-19, U-16, U14 selectors.

Trupti Bhattacharya was selected the chairperson of senior women's team while Kalpana Murkar as chairperson of U-19 women's team.

Amit Velaskar was named coach and Nilsh Kulkarni the chairman of men's Mumbai University team while Susheel Jawle was named coach of women's Mumbai University team.