CHENNAI: The last time India had a full-time coach was in October 2022 when Ramesh Powar was in charge of the team. Jhulan Goswami had just played her final ODI at Lord's. The first season of the Women's Premier League was still months away. And India was yet to win the inaugural U19 T20 World Cup. Since then, India have played the home T20I series against Australia, the T20 World Cup in South Africa, the away series against Bangladesh, and the Asian Games in Hangzhou without a full-time head coach. That's a significant time and amount of series with interim coaches — Hrishikesh Kanitkar and Nooshin Al Khadeer shared the coaching responsibilities.
So after one year, when Amol Muzumdar was announced as the head coach of the team, many breathed a sigh of relief. Under two interim coaches, India's performance was a mixed bag. They challenged Australia in the home series but saw the Alyssa Healy-led side take the series 4-1. The same opposition was a thorn in their flesh at the T20 World Cup in South Africa. The series against Bangladesh showcased a bigger challenge than anticipated, while the Asian Games gold medal was the expected result for the team. It is important to highlight what the team has achieved even in the absence of the permanent head coach.
With Muzumdar taking over the responsibilities, the expectations are high. More so because of the two marquee events coming up in the next two years. The T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in 2024 and the home ODI World Cup in 2025 will be on every team's agenda starting from now. The former Mumbai coach is taking over the responsibilities some nine months away from the T20 WC in the sub-continent, which would certainly give him enough time and space to make this team his own. And it will all start with the series against England and defending champions Australia.
"We had a chat about it with the team, and they (players) are all raring to go," Muzumdar said while addressing the media in Mumbai ahead of the packed month of international cricket. "Every step that we take is about moving towards the World Cup. England and Australia will be a superb series to start the preparations (for the World Cup). (Both) will be a tough series (and) will give us an indication of where we are. Going forward the tougher the opposition, the better it is. There will be a lot of camps after this series. A lot of cricket will be played at NCA or some other place. That means more exposure. All the fringe and new players will also get an opportunity," the head coach explained his strategy going ahead.
While Troy Cooley has been named the bowling coach for the series against England and Australia, Muzumdar would need his own full-time support staff going forward. Even as the head coach insisted on his approach of fearless brand of cricket, the role clarity for each player is going to be one of the biggest challenges he will face. And in the absence of full-time support staff at his disposal, that could take even more time than India have.
On the eve of the three-match T20I series, Muzumdar also highlighted the importance of two Fs that the team has faced a lot of scrutiny - fielding and fitness. "Fielding and fitness are of the highest priority. There is no compromise on that," he mentioned in his first media interaction since taking over the job. Every head coach before him had to deal with some degree of pressure because of fielding and fitness, and Muzumdar's willingness to take it head-on is commendable, but he will have his work cut out for him.
From now till the first ball of the T20 WC is bowled, whatever decisions the coach and captain take will have an immense impact. A new era is beginning in Mumbai tomorrow. One can only hope the first senior women's ICC trophy is not that far for India.
Timeline of head coaches since August 2018 Aug 2018 - Nov 2018: Ramesh Powar Dec 2018 - May 2021: WV Raman May 2021 - Dec 2023: Ramesh Powar Dec 2023 - Mar 2023: Hrishikesh Kanitkar (interim head coach) Bangladesh tour in July 2023: Nooshin Al Khadeer ((interim head coach) Asian Games in Sep 2023: Hrishikesh Kanitkar (interim head coach) Oct 2023 - present: Amol Muzumdar
