For the next three years, the UAE men’s national team’s head coach will be former Indian opener Lachand Rajput. This week, Mumbai-born Rajput will assume official leadership of the team. Leading the side in the UAE-hosted ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 ODI tri-series, which also includes Scotland and Canada, would be his first responsibility. Next Wednesday will mark the start of the tri-series. The UAE will next month host three bilateral Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) against Scotland.
Rajput, who represented India in two Tests and four ODIs during the 1980s, will assume team captaincy this week. His first task with the UAE team will be to manage the Scotland-Canada ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 ODI tri-series, starting on February 28. The UAE will next month host three Twenty20 Internationals against Scotland.
In 2007, the 62-year-old led the Indian team to victory in the first-ever T20 World Cup. The International Cricket Council (ICC) granted Afghanistan Test status between 2016 and 2017, while Rajput was the team’s coach at that time. During his tenure as Zimbabwe’s coach from 2018 to 2022, he also assisted the country in making it to the Men’s T20 World Cup.
This week, Rajput, who represented India in two Tests and four ODIs during the 1980s, will formally assume leadership of the squad. The ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 ODI tri-series, which involves Scotland and Canada and kicks off on February 28, will be his maiden assignment with the UAE team. Next month, the UAE will play three Twenty20 Internationals against Scotland.
The 62-year-old led the winning Indian squad that took home the first-ever T20 World Cup in 2007. Rajput also served as Afghanistan’s coach from 2016 to 2017, the year the International Cricket Council (ICC) granted the side Test status. In addition, he coached Zimbabwe from 2018 to 2022, assisting the country in making it to the Men’s T20 World Cup.
“I am grateful to the Emirates Cricket Board for giving me this wonderful opportunity. The players have performed admirably in both ODIs and T20Is, and UAE has become one of the stronger Associate Members in recent times. I am excited to work with the incredibly talented current group and help them develop their cricket abilities even more.
“My aim would be to improve the team’s performance and take them to the next level, which I am very confident they are fully capable of,” Rajput stated. “I am confident that the boys, buoyed by their exposure to top quality cricket and practice facilities here in Dubai, will continue to prosper.”
