Bharat Arun appointed Bengal coach

Bharat Arun, the former India and Tamil Nadu medium pace bowler, has been named coach of the Bengal Ranji Trophy team for the 2007-2008 season. Arun's tenure with the team begins on September 1, after fulfilling his present obligations with the National Cricket Academy (NCA) at Bangalore.

"It is a great pleasure to come and be the coach of Bengal. It is one of the best sides in the country right now" Arun, who has been given a one-year contract, said. Talking of his plans, Arun felt that Sourav Ganguly's immense experience ought to be harnessed. "He can give a lot of valuable inputs."

Paras Mhambrey, Arun's predecessor, had taken Bengal to the Ranji Trophy final in the last two seasons, though the trophy continued to elude the side. Before his NCA stint, he was coach of Tamil Nadu, whom he guided to two successive Ranji Trophy finals in 2003 and 2004. Prasun Mukherjee, the president of the Cricket Association of Bengal, highlighted the experience and deep knowledge of the game that the new coach would bring to the side.