Sarandeep Singh Takes Charge as Delhi's Ranji Coach for Upcoming Domestic Season

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Former India off-spinner Sarandeep Singh is set to lead Delhi's senior cricket team as head coach for the upcoming domestic season. The appointment was made by the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) of the state unit.

Sarandeep will be supported by bowling coach V Aravind and batting coach Bantu Singh, both of whom are continuing from last year.

The Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) has introduced a new role for the senior men's team, appointing Atul Wassan as the mentor for white-ball cricket and Robin Singh Junior for red-ball cricket. Reema Malhotra will mentor the women's team.

Last year's coach, Devang Gandhi, who had a significant impact on both senior and junior players, will not be available this season due to personal reasons and did not apply for the position.

Selection Process and Key Appointments

The CAC, consisting of former India players Surinder Khanna, Nikhil Chopra, and Anjali Malhotra, had two main candidates for the head coach role: Sarandeep Singh and former Delhi coach KP Bhaskar. The apex council approved Sarandeep's appointment. A senior DDCA official mentioned that Bhaskar will be included as one of three selectors.

Sarandeep Singh, aged 44, played three Tests and five ODIs for India between 2000 and 2003. He also served as a national selector from North Zone under MSK Prasad. While his experience as a senior-level coach is not widely known, he has managed institutional teams previously.

Additional Appointments in DDCA

Gursharan Singh, a former India batter and Punjab's only Ranji Trophy-winning captain has been recommended for the chairman of selection committees post. Although the BCCI sets a cut-off age of 60 for national selectors, no such rule exists in state cricket. At 61, Gursharan remains actively involved in the DDCA system.

If the CAC's recommendations are followed, Bhaskar and former Delhi keeper-batter Rajiv Vinayak will join Gursharan as selectors. Despite not interfering in cricketing matters, DDCA president Rohan Jaitley's opinion holds significant weight in these decisions.

The senior selection committee will include an observer nominated by the CAC to oversee the selection process. This ensures transparency and adherence to guidelines during team selections.