New Delhi: Former Indian domestic cricketer Ramakrishnan Sridhar, popularly known as R Sridhar, on Wednesday, August 21, was signed by the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) as the assistant coach of its men’s national cricket team with the focus on the upcoming bilateral series.
Afghanistan are scheduled to play New Zealand in a one-off Test series in Greater Noida (India) from September 9 to 13. Followed by this, the Hashmatullah Shahidi-led team will take on South Africa in a three-match One-Day International series in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE) between September 18 and 22.
The 54-year-old Sridhar, who played domestic cricket for Hyderabad 1989 to 2000, will start his stint with Afghanistan from the New Zealand Test at home. The ACB has shared the possibility of a long-term contract with the Indian coach, though the current hiring is based for just two series.
“It is worth mentioning that the Afghanistan Cricket Board has appointed Sridhar as the assistant coach for the one-off Test against New Zealand and the 3-match ODI series against South Africa. The Afghanistan Cricket Board wish Sridhar fills the role effectively and hope to have long term contract with him in the future,” the official statement from ACB read.
ACB name R. Sridhar as National Team’s Asst. Coach for New Zealand and South Africa Fixtures.
More: https://t.co/B8VZlnB10t pic.twitter.com/nmCuVpCqD9
— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) August 21, 2024
What are the previous coaching roles of R Sridhar?
R Sridhar is a Level-3 certified coach who has served Indian U19 national team in dual role. From 2008 to 2014, Sridhar served at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru as an assistant fielding and spin bowling coach.
Sridhar was appointed as the fielding coach of Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) in IPL 2014. In August 2014, R Sridhar was roped in as senior Indian men’s cricket team’s fielding coach. He served the role for more than seven years until the 2021 T20 World Cup.
The former Hyderabad left-arm spinner has also been the head coach of the senior Andhra cricket team before his appointment with the Indian team.
With the Afghanistan international side, Sridhar will work under head coach Jonathan Trott. The 54-year-old coach will be the second Indian to join Afghanistan’s support staff after Ajay Jadeja mentored the men’s team in the 2023 World Cup last year in India.
R Sridhar, who played domestic cricket for Hyderabad 1989 to 2000, will start his stint with Afghanistan from the New Zealand Test at home. The ACB has shared the possibility of a long-term contract with the Indian coach, though the current hiring is based for just two series. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
