Cuttack: Surendra Bhave, the new head coach of Odisha senior men’s cricket team, would focus on developing three aspects of the state team.
Revealing his plans in a recent press conference at Barabati Stadium, Cuttack, the 58-year-old coach said, “My focus would be on fitness, fielding and honing skills of the Odisha players.”
While appreciating the potential of Odisha players, Bhave felt they need to perform well in important matches. “There is a lot of potential in Odisha cricketers, but they need to perform well in crucial matches and win against stronger teams in all three formats of the game. That will enable them to get through to the knock-out stages,” said the head coach.
Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) appointed former Maharashtra player, coach and National selector Bhave as the State senior men’s team head coach for the season 2024-25 earlier on April 17. He replaced former India allrounder Dinesh Mongia, under whose guidance Odisha put up a disappointing performance in Ranji Trophy last season, losing four matches, winning one and drawing two.
Bhave, an opening batter, mustered 7,971 runs in 97 First Class matches and 1,808 runs in 51 List-A matches before retiring in 2000-01. Besides representing India A for a SAARC tourney in 1992-93, Bhave also led Maharashtra to a rare appearance in a Ranji Trophy final in the same season.
He was a member of the National selection panel during its triumphant run in the 2011 World Cup. This would be his fifth stint and fourth as senior men’s team head coach in domestic cricket. Besides his two stints with Maharashtra, including in 2013-14 when Maharashtra made it to the Ranji final, he has been at the helm of affairs for Haryana and Punjab teams.
Bhave has a fond memory of Odisha as he slammed his career-best first-class knock of 292 for West Zone in their Duleep Trophy match against South Zone, held at Ispat Stadium, Rourkela, from November 30 to December 4, 1994.
Courtesy: orisports.com
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