Sulakshan Kulkarni (left) speaks with Ajit Agarkar prior to the Ranji Trophy final vs Saurashtra at the Wankhede in 2013. Pic/Atul Kamble
Even though former India cricketers Pravin Amre and Sameer Dighe are in the race to become Mumbai's Ranji Trophy team coach, the name of ex-Mumbai stumper Sulakshan Kulkarni is also doing the rounds to replace Chandrakant Pandit.
Kulkarni was coach when Mumbai won the Ranji Trophy for the 40th time in 2012-13, under the captaincy of present chief selector Ajit Agarkar. Last season, Kulkarni coached the Chhattisgarh Ranji Trophy team.
'I'm keen'
“I got a few calls from Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) officials, who asked whether I was in the city and interested in coaching the Mumbai team. I expressed my interest in the job. I also coached an under-23 team in the MCA summer vacation scheme recently,” Kulkarni told mid-day yesterday.
CIC to meet today
The Amre-led MCA's Cricket Improvement Committee (CIC) which who appointed Agarkar as chief selector a few days ago, will meet today to select the coach. Amre and Dighe are front-runners. Will Amre pick himself (being chairman of the CIC) or excuse himself when his committee discusses the coach issue, is to be seen.
It is almost certain that Pandit, who guided Mumbai to their 41st Ranji title in 2015-16 and made it to the final last season, will not get an extension.
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