Sairaj Bahutule's tenure as Bengal coach all but over

KOLKATA: Sairaj Bahutule’s tenure as Bengal coach is all but over. Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) joint-secretary Avishek Dalmiya on Friday announced that team mentor Arun Lal will take additional charge of coaching the side in the upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali Twenty20 meet.
Lal had mentored the side during Bengal’s failed Ranji Trophy campaign.
Calls for Bahutule’s head were raised after Bengal failed to make the Ranji knockout stage this season.However, the former India spinner is yet to be given the boot by the CAB and is likely to see out his contract that runs out at the end of the season. CAB officials too are not willing to invite legal issues by sacking the coach before the end of his term. “Sairaj Bahutule has been excused as he sought leave on personal grounds. Arun Lal will take up the role of coach for Mushtaq Ali meet,” Dalmiya stated. However, he was quick to add that “Bahutule’s contract will be up for review at the end of the season.”
Bahutule was handpicked by CAB president Sourav Ganguly when he named the Mumbai spinner the Bengal coach in 2015 replacing Ashok Malhotra. Bengal featured in the Ranji Trophy semifinal under Bahutule last year. But questions were raised regarding his role after Bengal fared poorly in the season-opening Vijay Hazare Trophy meet. Although Bahutule remained with the side for the entire Ranji season, he was more like a silent spectator in the dressing room.
Ganguly recently conducted a Ranji season review along with Lal where the latter reportedly said that he is ready to take up any role with the side. Things moved fast thereafter and Lal has now been given additional responsibility.
The Bengal squad will attend a preparatory camp under Vision 2020 consultant VVS Laxman from February 11 to 13 to get ready for white-ball cricket.
Placed in Group D along with Mizoram, Karnataka, Assam, Haryana, Arunachal Pradesh, Chattisgarh and Odisha, Bengal will play their group league matches in Cuttack from February 21.