The 1983 World Cup winner Dilip Vengsarkar raised questions over fewer appointments of Indian coaches in IPL. In the upcoming season of the cash-rich league, Anil Kumble of Kings XI Punjab is the only India coach out of eight franchise. Several former Indian players are donning the role of mentors or assistant coaches but nobody apart from Kumble his heading the coaching department.
A look at the IPL squad roster shows that seven franchises have non-Indian head coaches, namely Ricky Ponting (Delhi Capitals), Brendon McCullum (KKR), Stephen Fleming (CSK), Mahela Jayawardene ( Mumbai Indians), Trevor Bayliss (Sunrisers), Simon Katich (RCB) and Andrew McDonald (Rajasthan Royals).
Vengsarkar feels Indian coaches have the experience as they are coaching the domestic teams exceedingly well.
"I believe more Indian coaches should coach the IPL teams simply because they have the experience; they have also been coaching the states exceedingly well," Vengsarkar told Gulf News.
The batting legend also questioned how many Indian coaches are leading the charge in other countries' franchise league tournament, as there are none of them.
"Besides, how many Indian coaches are coaching teams in other countries' league like Australia's Big Bash, etc.? We find none. So why should we hire foreign coaches? I feel our coaches are equally good and some of them are even better.
"It's time we give more opportunity to Indian coaches, I am sure they will do exceedingly well. Hopefully, IPL teams will have more Indian coaches than foreign coaches."
Earlier, Kumble also raised the same concern and claims that the piece of statistic is not a "true reflection" of the country's coaching resources.
"I would like to see more Indian coaches in the IPL. It is not a true reflection of the Indian resources. I would want to see many Indians being part of the IPL as head coaches," KXIP head coach Kumble told a select online media interaction.
"It is a bit of an irony --- one Indian as head coach. I think at some point of time there will be a lot more Indian coaches," he said.
