Guwahati: The Assam Cricket Association (ACA) on Thursday announced the recruitment of former Assam Ranji player Syed Zakaria Zuffri as the coach and his former batting partner and India A fielding coach Subhadeep Ghosh as fielding coach for the state senior team in the season ahead.

The ACA has also confirmed an exposure tour for the senior men's team probables to Sri Lanka from August 19 where the team will play matches against first class teams from the neighbouring country.

The ACA has also approached the Karnataka State Cricket Association to accommodate Assam senior team in one of its pre-season tournaments, an ACA statement said on Thursday.

Doing away with the recruitment of outstation coaches for the state men's teams, the ACA has also engaged former state first class player Zaved Zaman as the coach for the under-23 team, while Dipankar Banerjee will be the coach for the under-19 team, assisted by Souvik Das as fielding coach.

Sandipan Debnath and Arjoo Raj have been appointed coaches for the under-16 boys' team.

Former Kerala skipper R.S. Saranya has been recruited as the head coach for all the women's teams. She will be assisted by Rumi Kalita as coach.

The ACA had constituted a selection panel with former international umpire Nilay Dutta in the chair to recruit the coaches.

Former Ranji coach Subhrajit Saikia has been appointed the director of Assam Cricket Academy and former ace spinner from Assam Arlen Konwar and pacemen R.K. Yadav and Zaved Akhtar Khan have been recruited as bowling coaches in the academy.

Asked about the assignment, former wicketkeeper-batsman Zuffri said, "It will be a challenging task with all the limitations as far as the reserve bench is concerned. But, I am hopeful of a good season ahead with a number of talented youngsters knocking for a berth in the senior squad. Some of the seniors too have overcome their injury worries and fitness issues. All have been raring to go in the ongoing coaching programmes over the past two months."

The ACA also retained Satyagopal Chakraborty as the chairman of the senior selection committee, while Jayanta Choudhury will chair the junior selection panel. Nazreen Ahmed has been appointed chairperson of the women's selection committee.