Amre stresses on a regular Mumbai skipper

MUMBAI: He coached a high-quality Mumbai team to three titles in five years, but former India batsman Pravin Amre is under no illusions that his second stint in charge of the 40-time Ranji champs will be far more difficult.
While being handed a one-year contract, the 45-year-old, regarded as one of the best coaches in the country, made his priorities clear to the mandarins of the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA).
"I have stressed that we must take part in warm-up events (Buchi Babu & Shafi Darashah tourneys) so that I identify the right kind of players for the Ranji campaign. Preparation is the key to the process," Amre told TOI.
Mumbai had given a miss to both the tournaments last year, before crashing out in the Ranji quarters. It was apparent that the players, particularly the batsmen, were short of match practice. In this context, he welcomed the MCA's ruling that every player must feature in at least five games in local cricket.
Taking a fresh guard, Amre has spelled out a few other critical aspects as well. "I have suggested that the captain of the side must be available for the whole season, and he must be named early enough, so that he has enough time to get used to the job," Amre said.