Chance for Pritam Gandhe to prove his coaching credentials

NAGPUR: Till a fortnight ago Pritam Gandhe hardly played an active role in Vidarbha cricket despite serving it for two decades. Had coach Trevor Gonsalves not tested Covid-19 positive, Gandhe would have continued to be away from the Vidarbha fold. However, he is now the coach of Vidarbha senior team for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Twenty20 Trophy.
Since his retirement in 2008, Gandhe’s second innings has been a mixed bag.The former off spinner started with an average coaching stint with Vidarbha senior team in 2009. A year later, he was drafted into the Vidarbha Cricket Association’s executive committee.
In 2011, Gandhe, the first Vidarbha player to have played 100 First Class matches, was included in the BCCI’s junior selection committee, where he had a fairly successful stint. India Under-19 team won the World Cup in Australia. Most of the players selected during his tenure — like Sanju Samson, Shreyas Iyer, Kuldeep Yadav, Hanuma Vihari, Sandeep Sharma — are doing well.
Gandhe, 49, had coaching stints with BCCI’s Zonal Cricket Academies. Later, he was also appointed the coach of Mizoram's women team by BCCI. But a long run at the helm of a senior team was missing from his profile. Gandhe didn’t have much luck during his playing days, having missed out on the Indian cap on quite a few occasions. Destiny seems to be making up for it now.
It is a good opportunity for Gandhe to prove his coaching skills at the senior level. His experience with a star-studded Air India for more than two decades as a player and a mentor will prove handy for Gandhe. He has an eye for talent, which he showed during his tenure as a selector. It was Gandhe who took Umesh Yadav to Air India fold even before his First Class debute where was sharing a dressing room with the likes of Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina Mohammad Kaif and Robin Uthappa.
Former India wicketkeeper Samir Dighe, who has played with and against Gandhe in the Times Shield, feels it would be a good opportunity for the former the Vidarbha skipper.
“Pritam was unlucky not to play for the country. I remember the Tata vs Air India Times Shield match. His hand got dislocated when he was in reckoning for the national selection. It’s very unfortunate that such a talented player could never play for the country,” Dighe told TOI.
“However, coaching is altogether a different ball game. It’s all about man management and keeping positive vibes in the dressing room. Knowing Pritam over the years, he can do that job. He has always been very helpful towards his teammates, especially youngsters,” the Mumbaikar added.
Gandhe had played a lot of Twenty20 in Mumbai during the later stage of his career. He was an integral part of Air India team in the DY Patil T20 tournament. “This is a young team and doesn’t carry any baggage. Having played T20, Gandhe is aware of the kind of planning needed for this format. His knowledge and experience will be vital for Vidarbha,” a former Vidarbha player, who doesn’t wish to be named, told TOI.