MCA to soon announce new Mumbai Ranji coach

The wait for the new Mumbai Ranji coach is likely to be get over soon with the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) expected to shortly announce the name for the high-profile post.

According to MCA insiders, the name of former Mumbai stumper Sulakshan Kulkarni has been suggested by "senior cricketers" for the post of the Ranji coach and a final call on it will be taken by the ad-hoc managing committee comprising five members.

A meeting to discuss the issue was held here Tuesday.

A senior MCA official said the committee has taken advice from "senior cricketers" to fill various coaching positions and accordingly a decision will be taken shortly.

"We have taken suggestions from senior cricketers on the names of coaches (for age groups).

"We will check their availability, whether they (the applicants) have taken any other assignment and accordingly the name of the new coach should be announced in a couple of days," the official maintained.

It is understood that these senior cricketers include legendary batsman and ex-national selector Dilip Vengsarkar, retired India pacer Karsan Ghavri and ex-Mumbai spinner Kiran Mokashi.

The position of the Mumbai Ranji coach fell vacant after the incumbent Vinayak Samant's contract got over. Samant, an ex-Mumbai stumper, held the post for one year and has reapplied for the position.

Apart from Kulkarni and Samant, former India spinner Sairaj Bahutule, too, has applied for the post whose occupant will get a remuneration of Rs 24 lakh for a year.