Cuttack: Former India cricketer Dinesh Mongia is likely to be appointed head coach of the men’s cricket team in Odisha ahead of the upcoming domestic season.
According to sources, the Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) has already held discussions with the 46-year-old Mongia, who retired from all forms of cricket in 2019, and is likely to visit the state on April 21 and meet the players. Is. Currently attending a training camp for potentials.Odisha’s poor performance this Ranji season prompted the OCA to look for a new coach.
With a lone win, two losses and four draws against Bengal, the state team finished fifth in Ranji Trophy Elite Group ‘A’. The association had shortlisted four names from the applications received for the post of head coach. Of these, only one Rashmiranjan Parida of Odisha was in the race. Sources said the other two were Surendra Bhave, Maharashtra’s Ranji selector for the 2005 season, and former cricketer Kiran Powar.
While reports suggest that the OCA has decided on Mongia, who previously served as the head coach of Arunachal Pradesh, Mongia is keen on a bowling coach and hence the association is looking for Deepak Mangaraj or Sanjay Satpathy for the post. can choose. A classy batsman, Mongia made his debut for India against Australia in Pune in 2001 and went on to play 57 ODIs and one T20I.
He was part of India’s 2003 World Cup side that reached the final. He was banned by BCCI for joining the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL). Though ICL players were given amnesty by the BCCI later, Mongia did not play any international games since. He played for India in an ODI for the last time in 2007.
