Former Mumbai captain and domestic doyen Amol Muzumdar was on Wednesday named the head coach of the Indian women's cricket team, an appointment that was on cards for a long time.
The Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) comprising Sulakshana Naik, Ashok Malhotra, and Jatin Paranjape had interviewed the short-listed applicants for the position of head coach a few months back.
While it was an open secret that Muzumdar was the favourite for the post, the ratification of his appointment took a long time.
"After thorough and thoughtful deliberation, the three-member committee unanimously recommended Mr. Amol Muzumdar to take over the role," the BCCI said in a press release.
Former India batter and National Cricket Academy (NCA) staffer Hrishikesh Kanitkar was handling the responsibility on an interim basis after Ramesh Powar shifted to the Bengaluru centre as spin bowling consultant.
"I am deeply honoured and privileged to be appointed as the head coach of the Indian women's cricket team. I thank the CAC and the BCCI for placing their trust in me and believing in my vision and the roadmap for Team India," Muzumdar was quoted as saying in a press release.
"This is a huge responsibility and I look forward to working closely with talented players and providing them with the right preparation and guidance to excel."
Two World Cups (T20 and 50 over) will be Muzumdar's key area of focus.
Kanitkar is expected to go back to NCA and would either work with the men's A team on shadow tour to South Africa or U-19 boys group that will play junior World Cup in Sri Lanka next year.
Muzumdar scored over 11,000 first-class runs, including 30 centuries, in 171 matches during his illustrious 21-year first-class career.
He also featured in over 100 List A games and 14 T20 matches.
He won multiple Ranji Trophy titles with Mumbai and later represented Assam and Andhra Pradesh. He also represented India U-19 and India A in various representative games.
"The next two years are extremely important as two World Cups are scheduled in the period. Together with the coaching and support staff, we will look to tick every box and give ourselves the best chance to succeed," he added
BCCI secretary Jay Shah said that Muzumdar's knowledge of modern day cricket went a long way in clinching his appointment.
"He brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise and possesses a keen understanding of the modern game. The BCCI is strongly committed to women's cricket and will continue to provide an environment necessary for the team to excel both on and off the field. The Board will fully support Muzumdar and work closely with him to help our players reach their full potential," Shah said.
