Former India cricketer Lalchand Rajput appointed UAE head coach

The 62-year-old was the coach of the victorious Indian team that won the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007. Rajput has also coached the senior men’s teams of Afghanistan (2016-17) and Zimbabwe (2018-2022).

FILE PHOTO: Rajput played two Tests and four ODIs for India in the 1980s. | Photo Credit: THE HINDU

Former India cricketer Lalchand Rajput was named the head coach of UAE’s men’s cricket team on Wednesday for a three-year period.

Rajput, who played two Tests and four ODIs for India in the 1980s, will officially take charge of the team this week. His first assignment with the UAE side will be the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 ODI tri-series, which includes Scotland and Canada and begins on February 28. UAE will then host Scotland for three T20 Internationals next month.

The 62-year-old was the coach of the victorious Indian team that won the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007. Rajput has also coached Afghanistan in 2016-17, a period during which the team was awarded Test status by the International Cricket Council (ICC). He also served as coach of Zimbabwe from 2018-2022 and helped it qualify for the Men’s T20 World Cup in 2022.

“I want to thank the Emirates Cricket Board for appointing me for this exciting role. UAE has emerged as one of the stronger Associate Members in recent years and the players have put in some good performances in both ODIs and T20Is. The current batch is exceptionally talented and I look forward to working with them and further harnessing their cricket skills.

“I am confident that the boys buoyed by their exposure to top quality cricket and practice facilities here in Dubai will continue to prosper, UAE cricket has a very bright future and my goal would be to make the team perform more consistently and take them to the next level which I am very confident they are fully capable of,” Rajput said.