Former Captain PV Shashikanth Appointed As The New Head Coach BY KSCA

Former Karnataka Stalwarts – PV Shashikanth and GK Anil Kumar – have been appointed as the new Head Coach and Assistant Head Coach of the Karnataka Cricket Team, KSCA announced on Saturday.

Shashikanth will be taking over the coaching responsibility from the highly successful J Arun Kumar. Whereas Anil Kumar is replacing Mansur Ali Khan.

The Shashikanth – Anil Kumar duo has been working together for some time now and were in charge of the State U-23 team and led the side from the Plate to the Elite division in the Col. C.K. Nayudu Trophy with a third-place finish in February.

“It’s a great privilege and honour. I have the same feeling I had when I was made the captain of Karnataka in 1996,” said Shashikanth, who played 51 first-class matches for almost a decade before taking up coaching.

“I feel this could be a reward for doing well with the U-23s. I know most of the boys well. Ultimately, we want to take Karnataka back to the glory of winning the Ranji Trophy.”

Arunkumar, who is currently working with Kings XI Punjab in the IPL, was stunned by the news and reveals that he had had no discussions with the KSCA about the role.

He is one of the most successful coaches in the domestic arena. The 43-year-old and Mansur were initially appointed as batting and bowling coaches respectively in July 2012. During the time in the coaching staff, Karnataka bagged the treble of domestic titles – Ranji Trophy, Irani Cup and Vijay Hazare Trophy – in 2013-14.

“It’s been a good five years. I suppose they had to find a replacement. In all fairness, given the winless two years we’ve had, someone else had to get a chance,’ he said.

The KSCA said their appointments were “unanimous decisions” of the board’s managing committee.

“They (Shashikanth and Anil Kumar) have been coaches of various age groups of the state for more than a decade,” KSCA said in a release on April 26.

“The KSCA also acknowledges the contribution of the former coaches Mr J Arun Kumar and Mansoor Ali Khan for their stint as coach of the senior state team for the last five seasons.”