TN cricket's head coach steps down after row over harsh criticism, Balaji leads race to replace him
Kulkarni was appointed as the state team’s coach in 2023 under a two-year contract.
CHENNAI: His open and harsh criticism against Ranji team captain Sai Kishore seems to have done in head coach Sulakshan Kulkarni, who stepped down from the post after just a year at the helm.
In an email addressed to the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA), the Mumbaikar informed the association of his unavailability for the upcoming season. Kulkarni was appointed as the state team’s coach in 2023 under a two-year contract. However, recent tensions between players and the coach prompted his premature departure, despite having a year remaining on his contract.
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In the recently concluded Ranji season, Tamil Nadu qualified for the semi-finals but suffered a loss against Mumbai, who went on to claim their 42nd title. Despite making it into the Ranji knockouts after five seasons and having a decent run in the Vijay Hazare Trophy as semi-finalists, tensions were brewing in the team between players and the coach.
The friction came to a head when Kulkarni’s post-match comments about captain Sai Kishore’s decision to bat first on a seamer-friendly wicket further exposed the discord between the coach and the players.
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In his post-match address to the media, Kulkarni said Tamil Nadu lost the match in the first hour of the first day. “With the kind of pitch they had given to us, everybody knew we should have bowled first. But the captain had some different instinct and ultimately, he is the boss. I can take the horse to the water, but the horse has to drink,” he said.
While the decision to bat first on a green top, that too at Mumbai’s home ground, did surprise many, the manner in which the coach criticised the captain – who incidentally was among the best performers not just for Tamil Nadu, but in the whole tournament – surprised many.
As the state is at the cusp of building a team for the future, with young talents emerging in this domestic season, it will be interesting to see how TNCA will take this forward and appoint a new coach who has the vision for success and also maintains good camaraderie with the players.
Lakshmipathy Balaji, who is the current bowling coach of the team, will be one of the top candidates for the role. He has been with the team for a long time and knows the dynamics of the dressing room from inside. He was first appointed as a bowling coach for the state during the 2015-16 season, when he was player-cum-coach.
