Sahara India announces IPL Pune franchise coach

Sahara India Group, the owners of the Pune franchise of cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL), has announced the coach for its team, Sahara Pune Warriors.

While, former Australian opener and coach of the Australian world cup winning side of 1999 Geoff Robert Marsh has been appointed head coach, former England all rounder Dermot Reeve is the assistant coach.

Addressing a news conference here last evening, Sahara India, Chairman, Subrata Roy said the company would ensure that the team received the best training to prepare for the next edition of the IPL.

“Funds would not be any constraint for us to provide all the necessary infrastructure, logistics and training facilities,” Roy added.

The Group already has sporting facilities in Sahara Shahar, Lucknow and Amby Valley near Mumbai.

Group company Sahara India Financial Corporation is the sponsor of the Indian cricket team until December 2013.

Roy further announced that local players from Uttar Pradesh would be given priority in the selection of the team during auction.

“Our team would not be confined to a couple of months of playing in IPL editions, but it will tour other countries to participate in tournaments and to popularise cricket in Latin America,” he said.

In March 2010, the franchises of Pune and Kochi joined the league of eight original IPL teams for the 2011 season. The popular tournament has already seen three sell-out editions.

Sahara Adventure Sports Limited had made the winning bid of $370 million for the Pune franchise. The bid is the highest bid by any company in the short history of IPL.

Roy expressed hope that an international quality stadium is soon developed in Lucknow to promote cricket in the region.

Uttar Pradesh government has proposed an international cricket stadium in Lucknow in public private partnership (PPP) mode and Sahara had also bid for it. A pre-bid meeting was held here for the interested private parties.