Ex-Aussie speedster among applicants for Kerala head coach job

Thiruvananthapuram:  Former Australian pace bowler Shaun Tait is among the more prominent names who have applied for the coaching vacancy with the Kerala cricket team for the 2024-25 domestic season. The 41-year-old Tait has previously served as the bowling coach of Pakistan.

The Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) has received as many as ten applications so far for the position, it was learnt. Former Australian cricketer and renowned coach Dav Whatmore, who won the 1996 World Cup with Sri Lanka, was in charge of the Kerala Ranji Trophy side for two seasons, leading them to the semifinals in 2018-19.

Former India and Tamil Nadu off-spinner M Venkataramana, who replaced Tinu Yohannan as head coach of the Kerala cricket team for the 2023-2024 season, has stepped down from his post recently, citing personal reasons. Last week, the KCA put out an advertisement on its social media handles inviting applications by August 15.

Last year, Kerala had failed to qualify for the knockout round of the Ranji Trophy.

Former India internationals Devika Palshikar and Rumeli Dhar will be in charge of Kerala's women's team for the 2024-25 season. Devika has served as assistant coach of India and Bangladesh women's sides and was the batting coach of Mumbai Indians in the Women's Premier League. Rumeli was the head coach of the Odisha women's cricket team.

Baba Aparajith to play for Kerala
Former Tamil Nadu cricketer Baba Aparajith is all set to play for Kerala in the coming season. The 30-year-old all-rounder will replace Karnataka's Shreyas Gopal as the second outstation player in the side.

A right-handed batsman and off-break bowler, Baba was a part of the victorious 2012 World Cup-winning Indian U-19 team. He is the son of Dr. R N Baba, former media manager of the Indian national cricket team. His twin brother Baba Indrajith is a member of the Tamil Nadu senior cricket team.

Meanwhile, the KCA has decided to retain Jalaj Saxena, the Madhya Pradesh and India A all-rounder, who has been playing for Kerala since the 2016-17 domestic season. As the 37-year-old Saxena has been struggling to find his batting form, he is unlikely to feature in Kerala's one-day and T20 squads, it was learnt.