Rajput appointed Team India manager for Twenty20 World Cup

New Delhi, Aug 8 (UNI) Still undecided over coach-selection, the BCCI today appointed former India cricketer Lalchand Rajput as the Team India manager for the Twenty20 World Cup to be played in South Africa next month.

Rajput will take over from Chandu Borde, the manager for England tour, even as bowling coach Venketesh Prasad and Robin Singh will continue to work in the same capacity, the BCCI decided in a meeting at board president Sharad Pawar's residence here.

''Lalchand Rajput will be the team manager for the Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa. He will be assisted by Venketesh Prasad and Robin Singh,'' board spokesman Rajiv Shukla told mediapersons after the meeting.

He also said the board will issue an advertisement for the post of coach in a week's time although he refused to give a time frame for the selection of successor to Greg Chappell.

Meanwhile, the board also decided to set up a brand new, international-level National Cricket Academy in Bangalore.

''The BCCI has decided to build another National Cricket Academy in Bangalore. We are in talks with the Karnataka government and their response has been positive,'' Mr Shukla said.

He also informed that the Cricket Club of India (CCI) would host the one-off Twenty20 match between India and Australia on October 20 after the seven-match ODI series between the two countries.

UNI