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Vijay Hazare Trophy: Coach confident of Chandigarh’s good show
Chandigarh has been placed in the Elite group this time, with formidable teams like Bengal, Services, Jammu & Kashmir, Saurashtra and Haryana
For the head coach of the Chandigarh team, VRV Singh, the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy will bring in a new challenge.
Chandigarh has been placed in the Elite group this time, with formidable teams like Bengal, Services, Jammu & Kashmir, Saurashtra and Haryana. Although the Chandigarh team has not had much time to prepare for the tournament as the Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the Vijay Hazare Trophy schedule quite late, Singh is confident of his team doing well.
Team remained unbeaten in T20
VRV’s confidence can also be attributed to the fact that the Chandigarh team led by Manan Vohra remained unbeaten in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy in the Plate group. They could not finish as table-toppers as their game against Nagaland was abandoned due to wet conditions.
“Chandigarh team did a fine job in the T20 tournament winning all games except one that was abandoned. We always aspired to be in the Elite group and show mettle. Fortunately, this time we have been placed alongside strong teams. It would be challenging to play against seasoned teams and test our skills. We would like to give our best and leave a mark,” said Singh, a former fast bowler who has played five test and two ODIs for India.
The Vijay Hazare Trophy will take place from February 20 to March 14 and Chandigarh will play their matches in Kolkata.
In the recently-held T20 trophy, Shivam Bhambri and Manan Vohra stood out in the batting department for Chandigarh, scoring 198 runs and 154 runs in four games each, respectively. In the bowling line-up, left-arm spinner Bipul Sharma and off-spinner Gaurav Gambhir did well.
‘Players will deliver again’
“We have some good players waiting for a chance. Manan, Shivam and Ankit Kaushik did well recently and I am hoping they will deliver again along with Arslan Khan in batting. Bipul is an asset to the team and does the all-rounder’s job pretty well. Medium-pacers Shresth Nirmohi, Jagjit Singh and Mandeep along with left-arm spinner Gurinder Singh are talented too. They can have an impact and win matches for Chandigarh,” said Singh, who is taking a preparatory camp at the Sector-16 stadium.
Singh, who quit cricket in 2019, became Chandigarh team’s head coach in their debut season. Enjoying his stint as a coach after a long career as a cricketer, Singh believes Chandigarh cricket is going to rise in the coming years as there is abundance of talent and the UT Cricket Association (UTCA) is making all efforts to provide them with the right platform.
“Chandigarh teams made a great impact last season in all age groups. In the coming years, Chandigarh cricket is going to grab more attention. Despite limited resources, UTCA is working in the right direction and making sure players get the best facilities and tournaments. As far as senior men’s cricket is concerned, it’s the best time to show our mettle and garner attention. It will do a great deal for the confidence of the team. The players are hungry to do well,” shared the 36-year-old coach.
The league phase of the competition will run from February 20 till March 1. After reaching Kolkata, Chandigarh team will undergo three Covid tests, on February 13, 15 and 17, with practice allowed on February 18 and 19.
