Former Mumbai and Railways opening batsman Amit Pagnis on Thursday was appointed Mumbai senior team’s head coach for the forthcoming domestic season. Pagnis has been offered a short-term contract till March 31 next year.
Pagnis will replace Vinayak Samant, whose two-year stint with the team was largely forgettable. The former left-handed batsman will be Mumbai’s sixth head coach in the last eight seasons.
READ: Mumbai Cricket Association appoints Salil Ankola as chief selector of senior team
Despite representing Railways for a majority of his 95 first class appearances in his 14-year career spanning between 1995-96 to 2008-09, Pagnis has been actively involved in Mumbai cricket for the last three years.
After being the head coach of Mumbai Under-23 for two seasons starting 2017-18, he was the batting coach of Mumbai Cricket Association’s indoor academy last year.
“It’s obviously a huge honour and even a greater responsibility. I hope I can justify the faith shown in me by everyone involved, including the Cricket Improvement Committee,” Pagnis told Sportstar .
“Having been involved in the Mumbai cricket set-up for the last few years, I am no stranger to the boys and I hope we can make the a short season sweet.”
With just three weeks remaining for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy to begin, Pagnis will have his task cut out. While the MCA hasn’t managed to organise any training camp so far, the selectors and coach have finally been appointed. But Pagnis wasn’t overtly concerned about the situation.
“Yes, our task is definitely going to be cut out but I don’t think it’ll be too much of a concern. Almost a dozen Mumbai players were a part of IPL teams and five-six more were in UAE as net bowlers, so most of the boys are in shape,” Pagnis said. “We just have to make the most of whatever time we get together as a team and I am looking forward working together with players and selectors.”
On Friday, Pagnis will have his first meeting of the season with the newly-appointed selection committee, headed by former India speedster Salil Ankola.
MCA AGM on December 27
The MCA has rescheduled the Annual General Meeting on December 27. The meeting was originally scheduled on December 18 but citing COVID-19 protocols, the state government had provisionally granted permission if MCA organises it in the last week of December.
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