Karnataka get new batting, bowling coaches

J Arunkumar, the former Karnataka batsman, has taken over as the state team's batting coach, while fast bowler Mansur Ali Khan will mentor the bowlers. The pair replaces K Jeshwanth, who coached the Karnataka Ranji team over the previous season.

The careers of both overlapped with those of some of the senior members of the current Karnataka State Cricket Association administration, Javagal Srinath and Anil Kumble. Arunkumar has played 109 first-class matches and was a stalwart of the state Ranji team for more than a decade starting in the mid-90s. Khan played 24 first-class matches in an eight-year career starting in 1995.

Srinath, the KSCA secretary, said the coaches were selected after the state association's cricket committee interviewed several candidates. "A lot of people think we just picked people who we wanted, but that is not the case," Srinath said in Bangalore. "We invited coaches to appear before the committee, quizzed them on their views about coaching, how they intended to go about their jobs and so on, before we narrowed down our choice to these two."

Karnataka were knocked out at the quarter-final stage in the Ranji Trophy last season, after an impressive league showing. They are in Group B this season, with the likes of Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.