The Cricket Association of Bengal seems to be in a fix over having former Australia fast bowler Shaun Tait on board.
Tait, at present the fast bowling coach of Bangladesh, had appeared for an interview before the CAB-appointed three-member panel — Arun Lal, Devang Gandhi and Kalyan Chowdhury — for the Bengal senior men’s head coach’s post, along with a few others.
It is understood that the panel had recommended Tait and former national selector Surendra Bhave, citing incumbent Laxmi Ratan Shukla has had his time.
The Sourav Ganguly-led CAB, however, appears to be focused on continuity and thus announced Shukla as head coach on Wednesday.
Bengal’s performance in the Ranji Trophy in particular has been quite decent under his supervision. In his first season in 2022-23, Bengal finished runners-up and were semi-finalists in the previous edition. But Bengal have failed to make most of the big occasions under Shukla.
Tait has had a successful stint with Bangladesh. He has been widely credited for his role in the emergence of young quick Nahid Rana, who was instrumental in Bangladesh’s recent home Test series victory over Pakistan.
But, according to insiders in Bangladesh cricket, Tait “isn’t on the same page” with a member or two of their coaching staff. Negotiations thus are still on between the CAB and him, sources said.
“The possibility of appointing Tait as the state fast bowling coach, which includes looking after all age groups, cannot be ruled out yet,” a CAB source stated. “Now, given Tait’s profile, it will cost the association an arm and a leg to get him on board. It could take ₹2 crore or more.”
That appears to have put the CAB in a dilemma.
Bhave, who also coached Maharashtra, Punjab and Odisha, will be working as the deputy coach and batting consultant. It remains to be seen how Shukla and Bhave gel with each other.
But, wouldn’t it have been prudent for CAB to move forward and try out a new face as head coach to bring in more professionalism and accountability? Or, was the CAB’s decision to retain Shukla an attempt to pacify external forces?