The 41-time Ranji Trophy champions couldn't make it to the knockout stage as well. Samant was not happy with the players' efforts in the Ranji Trophy
Vinayak Samant
A day after Sulakshan Kulkarni refused to take up the Mumbai's senior team's coaching job due to certain terms and conditions in the contract, it is learnt that the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has offered the job to Vinayak Samant, who coached the team last season.
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Three months ago MCA's Cricket Improvement Committee chaired by former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar shortlisted three coaches — Kulkarni, ex-India leggie Sairaj Bahutule (who later joined Gujarat) and Samant. "Samant was called to the MCA office yesterday and was offered the job. He has agreed to take it up," a source told mid-day yesterday.
It is learnt Samant is all set to complete the contractual formalities with MCA in a couple of days and will join Mumbai team for the Bapuna Cup Invitation Tournament to be played in Nagpur from September 6. The coach fiasco has led the MCA to send U-23 coach Vinod Raghavan with the Mumbai team for the Vizzy Trophy in Andhra, starting today.
Last season, Samant guided Mumbai to a win in the Vijay Hazare Trophy after 11 years. Mumbai started the season on a high but couldn't sustain the momentum. The 41-time Ranji Trophy champions couldn't make it to the knockout stage as well. Samant was not happy with the players' efforts in the Ranji Trophy.
After their meek surrender against eventual champions Vidarbha in Nagpur last season, Samant had told mid-day: "Winning and losing is a part of the game, but the way we lost was very disappointing. At least, we should have made them [Vidarbha] bat in the second innings. We failed to display our khadoos attitude."
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