Keeping Indian coaches out in IPL leaves Venky fuming

"It’s disappointing in a way. Every franchise needs to look at the role of Indian coaches as part of the team management," lamented Prasad, who has not been given a coaching role with any franchise despite being a part of the IPL in all the previous six seasons.

This season’s IPL promises a slew of changes. But what will remain constant is the franchises’ trust in foreign coaches. Rubbishing the premise, former India pacer Venkatesh Prasad expressed disappointment with the trend, insisting that it needs a serious rethink.

"It’s simple that only four foreign players can be in the playing XI. The remaining seven are Indians.

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It’s an ‘Indian’ Premier League," said Prasad.

"It’s disappointing in a way. Every franchise needs to look at the role of Indian coaches as part of the team management," lamented Prasad, who has not been given a coaching role with any franchise despite being a part of the IPL in all the previous six seasons.

This season, franchises in the T20 league have preferred foreign coaches over their Indian counterparts. In fact, out of the eight teams, only Kings XI Punjab have an Indian head coach in former India opener Sanjay Bangar, something Prasad feels is unfair.

Good Credentials"I feel that foreign coaches are good. It’s good if there is a mix of foreign players, coaches in the team management. They can improve your knowledge and the game. But not all foreign coaches are knowledgeable," he said.

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For Prasad, a former India bowling coach who was among the support staff when India won the inaugural World T20 in South Africa in 2007, the exclusion is part of a learning curve. "I have gained a lot from the IPL, for the first four seasons I was with RCB, then two seasons working with CSK.

It is disappointing to miss out but there is always something to learn from the experience."