BCCI appoints team manager for WI tour
The Indian team manager’s post could become a contractual job – like coaches and support staff – with a minimum term of two years if the Committee of Administrators (CoA) has its way. The BCCI old guard is still batting for a rotational policy of appointing the team manager on a tour-to-tour basis in order to oblige different state associations to keep their vote bank intact, but it is understood that the CoA wants to end this practice and appoint a paid manager till the 2019 World Cup.
Sources said that the board officials appointed Milind Kanmadikar (from Madhya Pradesh CA) as the team manager for the short series in the Caribbean right after the Champions Trophy. However, the CoA questioned the move, even blocked the appointment and wanted to understand how this allotment of team manager works. This issue is likely to be discussed in its next meeting on Monday.
“The manager’s job is not only to spend time in the changing room. His job is to ensure that a proper process is followed while picking a team or managing any sort of disagreement in the dressing room. The board appointed managers have failed to live up to the expectation,” a top board functionary told TOI on Friday .
Sources also said that the Indian team is also quite pleased with the current manager Kapil Malhotra, who took part in team meetings which was attended by captain, coach and two selectors MSK Prasad and Debang Gandhi. Malhotra, who was the manager of the team for seven months earlier, also played a role in smooth conduct of team selection. “It’s not about an individual and what the team wants. It’s also about managing the job with a proper contract. If there are any issues in the team, manager has a big role in sorting out the issues inside the dressing room,” the source added.
