Rotating playersin Bengal T20 Challenge crucial, say coaches

West Bengal,Sports,Cricket

Sports, West Bengal, India, Cricket Read Latest News and Articles

Share With Your Friends

Kolkata, Nov 22 (IANS) In the Bengal T20 Challenge, starting on Tuesday in a bio-bubble at the Eden Gardens, rotating players will be important as each of the six teams will play at least 10 matches in the league phase, say coaches of the six competing teams. They also feel that it is an opportunity for players to showcase their talent and get noticed.

The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) released the schedule of the league on Sunday. The competition gets over on December 9.

"With [a maximum of] 12 matches to play in this tournament we will have to keep fitness of the players in mind and I think rotating and shuffling of the players in playing XI will come normally. Due to this pandemic everyone got affected in some way or the other but the players have prepared well even in this situation. With the CAB pre-season some players got the chance to get ready while others watched their fitness even while at home," said Mohun Bagan coach Sanjib Goyel.

Mohun Bagan have two bowlers -- Akash Deep and Sayan Ghosh -- who attended this year's IPL camps and that has boosted their confidence and experience.

"Our new captain Anustup Majumder has been phenomenal with the bat last season for Bengal and having experienced campaigners like Manoj Tiwary, Debabrata Das is always a plus point. Also, Prince Yadav, Ankur Pal, Anurag Tiwary will be the ones to look out for," said Goyel.

East Bengal coach Shibsagar Singh said players are excited and keen to perform well.

"Players have kept themselves fit through fitness sessions at home even during this season. This is a premiere tournament that is going to give huge opportunities. Before the start of the domestic season, this tournament will give everyone a chance to showcase their talent. Everyone has to contribute for a team to be successful; it's not about any individual player," he said.

"We have a good mix of senior experienced players and young players. Among the young players, Sujit Kumar Yadav and Akash Pandey, along with experienced players like Arnab Nandi and Kanishk Seth, make a good combination."

Kalighat Club coach Satinder Singh said his team is very disciplined and prepared for the tournament.

"With Subham Chatterjee, Sudip Chatterjee, Pradipta Pramanik, Prinan Dutta, Aamir Gani, and Jayojit Basu in the team, we have a very good mixture of experience and youth in our team and that is the key for us," he felt.

Customs Nilambar Saha pointed out that his team is young and perhaps the best fielding unit.

"It is a very young side, which is a plus point for us and I believe Customs is also the best fielding side in this tournament. Shreyan Chakraborty, Sumanta Gupta, and Prosenjit Das are all very good fielders and they are improving day by day. It is a very big opportunity for them and I believe it will give many talented players a boost in their careers. It will be very competitive as all the teams are very balanced," he averred.

For Town Club coach Kanchan Maity, returning to the ground is the most important thing for players.

About his team, he said: "We have some big hitters, quality bowlers in our team, which is our strength. Having the likes of Ananta Saha, Aritra Chatterjee, Pankaj Shaw, and Ayan Bhattacharjee, and youngsters Kazi Junaid Saifi, Sudip Gharami, and Golam Mustafa makes us a good mixture of experience and youth."

Tapan Memorial coach Avishek Barman said his team is a balanced one.

"Having Shahbaz Ahamad, who has come back from IPL, as a captain gives us a boost. We will benefit from his experience and current good form. We are a balanced side with good middle order batters and quality all-rounders. Having good all-rounders always benefits a team and Sumit Mohanta and Gaurav Chauhan will strengthen us in that department. Shakir Habib Gandhi, Debapratim Halder, Abhishek Porel, and Sourav Chanda will be the ones to look out for," he said.

--IANS

qma/rt