If he has applied, Gambhir would be good coach for India: Ganguly
Mumbai (PTI): Former India captain Sourav Ganguly on Saturday said Gautam Gambhir would be a "good coach" for the national cricket team if he has applied for the job, and favoured the appointment of a home-grown talent to the high-profile position.
Speaking at the inauguration of International Procurement and Supply Chain Conference, Ganguly also gave his views on India's chances in the upcoming T20 World Cup.
"I am in favour of an Indian coach. If he has applied, Gambhir will be a good coach," Ganguly said.
World Cup-winning former batter Gambhir recently mentored his former franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to win their third IPL title after a gap of 10 yearrs.
The former lefthanded India opener appears to be the front-runner for the position, which will fall vacant after Rahul Dravid steps down at the end of India's T20 World Cup campaign.
In a statement a few days ago, BCCI secretary Jay Shah has also hinted that an Indian coach would be preferred.
"Finding the right coach for our national team is a meticulous and thorough process. We are focused on identifying individuals who possess a deep understanding of the Indian cricket structure and have risen through the ranks," Shah had said.
The BCCI secretary had also stated that having in-depth knowledge of Indian domestic cricket will be one of the important criteria for appointing the next coach. He said the understanding would be crucial to "truly elevate Team India to the next level."
Ganguly also said India are strong contenders for the T20 World Cup title. Co-hosted by the USA and the West Indies, the event kicks off on Saturday.
"India have very good chances in the World Cup. India will have to play like a T20 team. There is enormous talent," he said.
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Lalu Prasad slams BJP over heckling of woman singer
Chaos over "Raghupati Raghav..." at Vajpayee memorial
Patna, Dec 26: RJD president Lalu Prasad on Thursday slammed the BJP over alleged heckling of a woman artist who sang a bhajan, known to be a favourite of Mahatma Gandhi, at a function organised on the birth anniversary of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee a day ago.
The RJD supremo, on his X handle, alleged that the BJP leaders had taken exception to the phrase 'Sita Ram' and asked the singer to apologise before erupting in roars of "Jai Shri Ram".
The well-attended function was held on Wednesday at Bapu Sabhagar, a sprawling state-of-the-art auditorium in the heart of the city.
The septuagenarian alleged that the incident was "reflective of the misogyny that the BJP and the Sangh Parivar was known for" and its "disdain for females was resulting in disrespect for 'Sita Mata'."
However, BJP sources, who did not wish to be named, pointed out that the newspaper report shared by Prasad in an earlier tweet clearly stated that the furore was not over 'Sita Ram', but the subsequent stanza - 'Ishwar Allah Tero Naam'.
The sources claimed that party workers were opposed to the "recital of a line that was not part of the original verse composed by 15th-century poet Narsi Mehta, but inserted later, apparently in line with Gandhi's Hindu-Muslim unity plank".
संघियों और भाजपाइयों को “जय सियाराम, जय सीताराम” के नाम एवं नारे से शुरू ही नफरत है क्योंकि उसमें माता सीता का जयकारा है। ये लोग शुरू से ही महिला विरोधी है तथा “जय श्री राम’ के नारे के साथ आधी आबादी महिलाओं का भी अपमान करते हैं।
— Lalu Prasad Yadav (@laluprasadrjd) December 26, 2024
गायिका देवी ने कल कार्यक्रम में बापू के नाम पर… pic.twitter.com/fOGhxfWE16
