Published: Mar 27, 2020, 08:41 AM (IST)
Edited: Mar 27, 2020, 08:41 AM (IST)
Wasim Jaffer, who recently announced his retirement as professional cricketer, is in line to become the next head coach of Vidarbha cricket team with whom he won the Ranji Trophy in 2017-18 after leaving Mumbai in 2015.
Jaffer, if everything falls in place for the domestic giant, could succeed Chandrakant Pandit to the role who has switched to Madhya Pradesh.
“Wasim Jaffer could take Pandit’s place. He said recently after retiring that he is intending to get into coaching so he can very well start his career with Vidarbha,” IANS quoted a source as saying.
Jaffer, 42, played 260 first-class matches and scored 19,410 runs at 50.67 including 57 centuries and 91 half-centuries. The reputation he has with the players and the Vidarbha administration could very well work in his favour.
“For now there is no official work being done at the VCA (Vidarbha Cricket Academy) but Jaffer has a good reputation among the players and those in the administration and so this possibility cannot be ruled out,” the source said.
Jaffer, who played 31 Tests between 2000 and 2008, though says he hasn’t had any communication with the VCA so far but is open to considering a offer should it tabled to him. “If I get any communication on this from them then certainly I will consider it. But for now I haven’t received anything,” he said.
VCA President Anand Jaiswal said they are in hunt to fill the vacancy but nothing has been finalised yet.
“Nothing is final yet and because of the coronavirus situation we can’t conduct any meetings. I can’t comment on who is being considered or ruled out, these are matters that can be decided after consultation with all officials, the cricket development committee. We can talk about all this only when the situation improves,” Jaiswal said.
