A major step in the right direction for Bengal cricket on Monday saw the appointment of legendary Pakistani fast bowler Waqar Younis and retired Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan as bowling consultants on a three-year contract for a cricket coaching programme initiated by the CAB from the 15th of March.
The programme will be overseen by former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly, who has donned the role of coaching committe chairman of the CAB. The contracts of the duo are believed to be in the range of Rs 60 lakh each. Under the agreement, the two legends will have to spend atleast 30 days with a pool of about 200 youngsters with the motive of producing world-class bowling talent from Bengal.
200 players will be handpicked by the affiliated clubs and trainees from CAB and will get the chance of a lifetime to train under the guidance of these two bowling maestros. This list may include senior Bengal players subject to their availability.
All the 94 afffiliated clubs under the CAB are required to nominate 1 pacer and 1 spinner who will train under the guidance of Waqar and Murali for a span of a month long cricket camp. These contribute 188 players, while the other 12 players will be chosen from second division clubs comprising of Under-19 players.
“It is a simple cricket coaching programme with Waqar Younis and Muralitharan and no rocket science,” Ganguly said.
“It’s difficult but you have to give fair chance to everybody. This coaching initiative will be for 30-40 days under Waqar and Murali but local coaches will take the camp throughout the year,” Ganguly told Times of India.
Ranadeb Bose will be Waqar’s assistant in the pace bowling department, while Murali’s deputy is yet to be finalised.
Ganguly is also the chief consultant of the batting pool and said that a batting camp will also be organised under his watchful eye at an appropriate time.
