Chandrakant Pandit named Mumbai coach

Former India wicketkeeper Chandrakant Pandit has been named coach of the Mumbai Ranji Trophy team, as well as the head coach of the Mumbai Cricket Association's indoor academy at the Bandra Kurla Complex.

The decision to appoint Pandit as coach and former Mumbai captain Milind Rege as the chairman of the senior selection panel was taken by the MCA's Cricket Improvement Committee, headed by the MCA vice president Dilip Vengsarkar.

Rege will lead a four-member senior selection panel with former India left-arm bowler Karsan Ghavri, former Mumbai left-arm spinner Ravi Thaker, and former batsman Nishit Shetty as its other members.

Ranjan Baindoor, Ramesh Vajge and Rajesh Sutar were picked to head the Under-16 and 14 age group selection committees, while Trupti Bhattracharya will head the women's selection panel.

"Chandu has been around for a long time and under him we won a lot (of titles)," Vengsarkar said. "(Pravin) Amre did extremely well last season but wasn't keen to coach (this season). Pandit is a proven guy, excellent strategist and good in management. He was the best (choice) we had."

The names of Sulakshan Kulkarni, Sairaj Bahutule and Sameer Dighe were discussed before Pandit got the nod. The MCA will also appoint a batting coach and bowling coaches for fast bowlers and spinners.

"We have plans to take part in the Buchi Babu and KSCA tournaments. The Under-23 is a very important age group. We have also decided to pick 20 players in the Under-12 age group and groom them so that they will be available for the Under-14 level," Vengsarkar said.