KOLKATA: With the Indian cricket team currently looking for a coach, Pakistani pace legend Wasim Akram and former India skipper Dilip Vengsarkar batted for a home-grown expert for the job, citing their knowledge about domestic cricketers on Tuesday.
Incumbent coach Duncan Fletcher’s tenure ended after India’s flop World Cup defence where they crashed out in the semis against eventual champions Australia.
While Vengsarkar picked Akram to take up Team India’s coaching mantle, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) bowling coach said it was difficult for him to make himself available for full-time coaching owing to his commercial and family commitments.
The duo participating in an interactive event at the Delhi Public School said it was imperative for the coach to know about the domestic players, including the players from the Under-19 and Indian A teams.
“Today a team doesn’t need to be coached like kids, rather you need a person who can man-manage. A foreign coach often goes on holiday when there is a domestic tournament and there are no international commitments,” said Akram.
“For me, you need a coach who knows the domestic players and can pronounce their names. I think a local coach is the answer for India.”
“I feel Duncan Fletcher should not continue. A foreign coach is not aware what’s happening in the domestic circuit or the Under-19 cricket or about India A players,” he said. (IANS)
