The former Indian wicketkeeper has joined the latest crop of international cricketers to join the coaching bandwagon. And his first assignment is Hong Kong.
MUMBAI: Former Indian wicketkeeper Sameer Dighe has joined the latest crop of international cricketers from Mumbai to join the coaching bandwagon. And his first assignment is Hong Kong.
The 38-year-old, with 23 ODIs and six Tests under his belt, has been recommended by Robin Singh who has all but relinquished his post following his appointment as fielding coach.
Interestingly, though Singh has been officially appointed only till the Bangladesh sojourn, the former all-rounder has asked the Hong Kong Cricket Association to terminate his contract which was to end in September this year and which stipulated that he be available for only 110 days in a year.
Ironically, Dighe was in Hong Kong last month as a player where he captained Air-India, his employers, to a 2-0 win in a friendly one-day series win over the National side with one match washed out. “Robin is busy with the Indian team and so he asked Sameer to chip in and help us train in Chennai,” said Ravi Nagdev, a HKCA official.
“Robin’s sudden departure has been a double blow for the Hong Kong team since we lost the services of our long-standing captain Tim Smart just on the eve of a crucial tournament,” added HKCA coaching co-ordinator Lal Jayasinghe.
Hong Kong is due to participate in the ICC World Cricket League Division three tournament tournament later this month in Darwin, Australia. If they reach the final, they get promoted to division two in their quest to figure in the 2011 World Cup.
The team is already in Chennai at the MAC Spin Foundation for a 10-day preparatory camp which started on Thursday with Dighe where he will be joined by fellow coach and Tamil Nadu’s Peter Fernandez. Dighe could not be reached for details about his coaching qualifications. Dighe’s entry into international cricket was as sudden as his foray into coaching. The former Mumbai skipper was studying in USA when he got his call-up to the Indian team at the age of 31 in ODIs for the tour to Australia.
Though he fared satisfactorily with the gloves, he will be remembered for his heroic knock of 22 — also in Chennai — with helped secure secured the historic 2-1 Test series win against Australia in 2001.
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