Ashok Malhotra joins Indian Cricket League

Ashok Malhotra, the former Indian batsman, has announced that he has joined the Indian Cricket League (ICL) in a coaching role, though his official capacity hasn't yet been decided.

"I was left with no choice as it seemed I had to pay the price for calling a spade a spade. You could say I got hounded out [by the establishment].Today as I see it, I have much more respect in ICL," Malhotra told the Telegraph, a Kolkata-based newspaper.

Malhotra had trained the ICL recruits in an unofficial capacity in their second training camp held at the Mayajaal Sports Complex in Chennai earlier this month.

Malhotra played seven Tests, scoring 226 runs at 25.11, and 20 ODIs, scoring 457 runs at 30.46. He was also a stand-in coach and a national selector.

The ICL's inaugural Twenty20 tournament starts on November 30 in Panchkula, near Chandigarh.