The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Former players bat for Amarnath

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Wednesday, Apr 25, 2007
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Former players bat for Amarnath

New Delhi: Even as the BCCI continues its search for Team India's new coach, a section of former cricketers want the board to consider Mohinder Amarnath for the job.

The BCCI has constituted a seven-member panel headed by its president Sharad Pawar to find a successor to Greg Chappell.

Australians Dav Whatmore and Tom Moody, who are currently coaching Bangladesh and Sri Lanka respectively, have emerged as the top contenders for the job.

Appoint an Indian

However, former coach Anshuman Gaekwad felt the BCCI should rather give the responsibility to an Indian, as only a local would be able to understand the players' needs.

``I am not against the appointment of a foreign coach but I feel only an Indian can understand the team's needs. And among the Indians, I don't think there can be anyone better than Amarnath. He deserves a chance to coach the team,'' said Gaekwad.

Former cricketer Maninder Singh echoed Gaekwad's sentiments and called for Amarnath's appointment as the team's coach.

``Jimmy should be made the coach but he should be allowed to work independently. There should not be any pressure on him. On most occasions, an Indian coach has to cope with lot of pressure; that should not be the case with him.

``Secondly, if he is given the charge, then the board should give him a long tenure, like a foreign coach,'' he added.

Amarnath, on his part, refused to comment on the issue.

``I don't want to say anything at the moment,'' he told PTI over phone from Mumbai, when asked about his chances of getting the job. — PTI

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