Coaching is a natural progression: Bangar

Bangar, Arun and R. Sridhar will have their work cut out, but they will be judged only in the longer run.

August 21, 2014 01:27 am | Updated 01:27 am IST - Mumbai

: It’s been a little over ten years when Sanjay Bangar stepped out of the Indian dressing room at the Adelaide Oval after a VB Series match against Zimbabwe in January 2004. Though India won that match by three runs, it was not a particularly memorable match for the all-rounder as he was dismissed for zero by Heath Streak.

In fact his partner, Parthiv Patel also fell a victim to Streak for zero before V. V. S. Laxman uncorked a majestic 131 with 13 fours and a six.

Now 41, Bangar will find the Indian dressing room without any remnants of that match; six of them like Laxman, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, Rohan Gavaskar, Ajit Agarkar and Murali Kartik have retired from all first class cricket, while the other four in Parthiv Patel, Hemang Badani, Irfan Pathan and Laxmipathy Balaji are still busy in the domestic tournaments.

“Yet, it will be a great honour to wear the India colours, be part of the Indian dressing room and Indian cricket,” said Bangar, appointed assistant coach for the five-match ODI series in England.

Bangar was an honest toiler in the country’s first class circuit for two decades for Railways from 1993 to 2013.

Things may have happened a bit soon on the coaching front for Bangar, but good words from the right quarters after the ‘A’ series against the West Indies last year has hastened his entry into the national team.

Also, following good reports of his handling the Kings XI Punjab in IPL-7, he or Bharat Arun were even identified as an assistant coach for the three-match ODI series in Bangladesh two months ago, but that did not happen.

Bangar has a BCCI-Level 2 coach certificate. “I don’t have the Level 3 because the exam has not been held for Level 3 in the last two years.

“It’s a natural progression to pursue coaching for an individual who has been a serious player and has chosen a long career in cricket. It brings value addition. I am looking forward to work with the Indian team,” Bangar told ‘The Hindu’ on Wednesday.

When asked about the recent strategic changes in ODI rules and how it affects the bowler, he said: “Well the bowlers have to adjust and adapt to the four-fielder rule outside the 30 yard circle. But at the same time we are now using two new balls from either end. This keeps the fast bowlers in the game.”

Have their work cut out Bangar, Arun and R. Sridhar will have their work cut out, but they will be judged only in the longer run.

Venkatesh Prasad and Robin Singh were part of the support staff some years ago.

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