Bedade lands new role as Baroda Ranji team coach

VADODARA: Former India cricketer Atul Bedade has been appointed coach of Baroda Ranji team. Bedade was one of the four contenders who were eligible for the post that fell vacant after Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) sacked Jacob Martin recently. Bedade will be given a one-year contract and he will coach the team for the upcoming season.
“We had called in applications for Ranji coach’s job.Once we got applications, our committee professionally scrutinized the contenders and also held interviews last week. Based on cricket improvement committee’s (CIC) recommendation, BCA has appointed Bedade as Ranji coach. The decision was taken on Wednesday,” said Snehal Parikh, BCA secretary (in-charge).
Bedade, who has donned many hats at BCA, is now geared up for the new role. He has served as Ranji selector, was match referee, member of CIC and also became BCCI pitch curator. Bedade has also coached youngsters at a private cricket club.
“It is an honour for me as the BCA management has put its faith in me. The new role as Ranji coach will be challenging. My job is to motivate the players to perform well and take team to its glorious heights,” Bedade told TOI.
Apart from Bedade, Sanjeev Sawant, Milap Mewada and Mukesh Narula were shortlisted for Ranji coach’s position.
The BCA managing committee on Wednesday appointed Himanshu Jadhav as an assistant coach. Sukhbir Singh has been appointed U-23 head coach while Sanjeev Sawant will be head coach of the Under-19 team.
Irfan Pathan senior is the head coach of Under-16 boys while Jasmin Nayak will be head coach of U-14 team. Vineet Wadkar will coach M S University team.
The new Ranji selection committee to be chaired by Leslie Fernandez will have Pradeep Banerjee, Khaghesh Amin, Sunil Doshi and Vikram Hazare as its members.
And the junior selection committee will have Rakesh Parikh as its chairman and Yogendra Wakaskar, Dinesh Soni, Prayan Dave and Kunal Hazare as its members. BCA has also decided to award Rs5 lakh to Indian women’s cricket coach Tushar Arothe as the team ended up as runners-up in the women’s World Cup held recently.