BHUBANESWAR 11-Sep-2008 74
Former India left-arm spinner Venkatapathy Raju was appointed as the chief coach of the Orissa Ranji Trophy and under-22 teams today. According to Orissa Cricket Association announcement, the 39-year-old Hyderabadi has been roped in for the year 2008-09.
Currently functioning as a National selector, Raju would be getting a professional fee of about Rs 4 lakh. OCA also named six other coaches to assist Raju and guide the state age-group teams.
``We hope under his guidance, Orissa would perform better in the Elite League of the National championship this season,`` OCA secretary Asirbad Behera said. But cricket observers believe that Raju will have a tough task in his hand when age is catching up with establised players of the state senior team and youngsters are not showing enough potential to replace the seniors.
Orissa has also been place in a tough group, that features Mumbai, Delhi, Punjab, Baroda, Hyderabad and Gujarat. On top of it, the preparation for the Ranji team is yet to start due to OCA elections, which was conducted last month.
Fondly known as `Muscle`, Raju is expected to take up the new assignment after the end of his second term as National selector later this month. A slow left-arm orthodox spinner and right-hand lower-order batsman, Raju played 28 Tests and 53 one-day internationals during his 19-year-long first class career. He bagged 93 wickets for2,857 runs in Tests and 63 scalps for 2,014 runs in ODIs. In first class cricket, Raju claimed 589 wickets in the 177 matches.
COACHING STAFF:
Ranji and u-22 teams: Venkatapathy Raju (chief coach), Abakash Khatua (fielding coach), Daniel Rout (batting coach), Sourajit Mohapatra (bowling coach), Dhirendra Kumar Rour (u-22 coach).
Junior (u-19 and u-16) teams: Sushil Kumar (chief coach), Sushil Kumar Mishra (u-16 coach).
