Latest news with #Senthilnathan
Time of India
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Balaji removed as Tamil Nadu coach, Senthilnathan takes charge
CHENNAI: For the third year in a row, Tamil Nadu will have a new men's team head coach. Former India U-19 captain and TN's Ranji Trophy-winning member M Senthilnathan will replace L Balaji, who came in place of Mumbai man Sulakshan Kulkarni last season. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now It comes as a surprise to most in TN cricket circles, given the respect that Balaji commands. The former India paceman, who led TN to the 2011-12 Ranji final, was the state team's bowling coach under Kulkarni. He took over as the chief coach when the latter left midway through his two-year contract following a controversy involving captain R Sai Kishore. 'Balaji was a players' favourite and the TNCA Cricket Advisory Committee's decision not to renew his contract was quite surprising,' a source close to the developments told TOI. Balaji, as TN chief coach, even attended the coaches' seminar organised by the NCA and TNCA about a month ago. There were not too many indications at that stage that his contract would not be renewed. The only thing that could have gone against Balaji was the fact that the team crashed out in the quarterfinal phase of the Ranji Trophy. TN, often carrying the tag of a 'white-ball powerhouse', were knocked out in the early stages of the two shorter-format competitions. During the Ranji Trophy, Balaji could not attend two games due to health reasons, and it is a matter of conjecture whether that was held against him. Meanwhile, Senthilnathan, who had served as the TN senior selection committee chairman, comes in with quite a bit of experience, thanks to his stint at the MRF Pace Foundation. He will have the company of batting coach Tanveer Jabbar and bowling coach T Kumaran, a former India pacer. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Tanveer is the only member to be retained from the previous coaching group. After officially taking up the baton, Senthilnathan set the bar high. 'All of us in TN cricket want to win the Ranji Trophy (they last bagged it in 1987-88). But now that I have been given the opportunity, I want to win all three titles (Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy being the other two). Why only Ranji Trophy? Why can TN not do it?' Senthilnathan told TOI. 'Every coach comes into a team with a mindset to win titles. When TN last won the Ranji Trophy, I was part of the team. Hopefully, my luck will change it (fortunes),' Senthilnathan said of ending a near four-decade trophy wait in the premier red-ball tournament. The newly-appointed head coach emphasised that he will focus on the team delivering a fearless brand of cricket and providing good 'role clarity' to the players. Chief selector Vasudeva Das retained: Former TN batter Vasudeva Das will continue in his role as the chairman of the five-member senior selection panel. Guru Kedarnath, who served as the bowling coach of the senior team last season, has taken over as U-23 side's head coach. Former India U-19 and TN player Yo Mahesh has been appointed as the chief coach of the U-19 team.
The Hindu
06-05-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
Senthilnathan named TN senior men's team coach
Former Tamil Nadu player and India under-19 captain M. Senthilnathan has been appointed head coach of the Tamil Nadu senior men's team for the upcoming domestic season. Senthilnathan will be TN's third head coach in as many years. He replaces former India pacer L. Balaji, who was at the helm last year. Meanwhile, another former India fast bowler, T. Kumaran, will be the bowling coach, while Tanveer Jabbar will continue as the batting coach, a role he started last year. The State senior team has had a barren run in the last few years and last won a title in the 2021-22 season when it clinched the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament. Senthilnathan, an aggressive batter during his playing days and was part of TN's last Ranji Trophy-winning squad in 1987-88, has now been tasked with ending the prolonged drought. Handling pace bowlingOne of the biggest tasks ahead of him will be to help address the TN's batters tackling quality pace bowling, especially in conditions where assistance is available for the quicks. Similarly, managing the pacers will be another key area for Senthilnathan, who has been the head coach of the MRF Pace Foundation for more than a decade. Speaking to The Hindu, the 56-year-old stressed that his focus is on helping the team play an aggressive brand of cricket. 'We want to play fearless cricket, and I don't want any player to feel the pressure of playing for his place,' said Senthilnathan. 'My role is to get the best out of them and create an atmosphere where they can easily approach me for help. We want to do well in all formats, but yes, the Ranji Trophy is the pinnacle. At the same time, I don't want to set lofty goals, but I want to approach them step by step,' he added. State senior selection committee (Men): Chairman: K. Shri Vasudeva Das; members: M. Santhosh Kumar, S. Suresh Kumar, S. Srinivason, B. Ramprakash. State junior selection committee: Chairman: D. Girish; members: K.H. Gopinath, R. Suthesh, I. L. Rajkumar, A. P. Suresh Kumar, S. Chandramouli. Coaching staff: State senior team: M. Senthil Nathan (head coach); Tanveer Jabbar (batting coach); T. Kumaran (bowling coach). Under–23: V. R.S. Guru Kedarnath (head coach); V. Maruthi Raghav (assistant coach). U-19: V. Yo Mahesh (head coach); K. Varun Kumar (assistant coach); C. S. Santhosh (fielding coach). U-16: Wilkins Vijay Victor (head coach); R. Tarun (assistant coach).
