VENKATESH Prasad Joins Kings Punjab XI As Bowling Coach
VENKATESH Prasad, 48, is the new bowling coach for Kings XI Punjab co-owned by film star Preity Zinta for the upcoming Indian Premier League. He is taking up the assignment after quitting as the chief of junior national selection panel with which he was associated for 30 months. He reportedly had soured relations with the BCCI honchos. The former Indian cricketer had played both Tests and ODIs after making debut in 1996. Primarily a right-arm medium-fast bowler, Prasad was noted for his bowling combination with Javagal Srinath. He had played the same role for the Indian cricket team from 2007 to 2009.With the 11th edition of the IPL round the corner, Kings XI Punjab has announced their support staff. “Venkatesh Prasad, former right-arm medium-fast bowler and ex-chairman of the junior national selection committee (BCCI), comes on board as the team’s bowling coach,” Kings XI Punjab said in a statement in Chandigarh. Former Australia player Brad Hodge has been appointed the team’s head coach for the next three seasons. Hodge is expected to re-energize the Kings XI Punjab under the guidance of team mentor Virender Sehwag. Speaking to scribes Hodge said “Each member of our coaching staff brings bundles of experience and insight that will help us reach the perfection we strive for here at Kings XI. It’s a truly exciting prospect.”Delhi player Mithun Manhas,38,first-class cricketer, is back to the IPL franchise as the assistant coach and will be working with Nishant Thakur, Shyamal Vallabhjee and Nishanta Bordoloi as the conditioning coach, technical coach and fielding coach respectively.”We are glad to have a foreign coach join the team this year along with Venkatesh. I hope we collectively will be able to put praiseworthy performance,”Sehwag added. Ever since its inception of Indian Primer League, Kings XI Punjab has reached the final just once – in 2014- when they were defeated by Kolkata Knight Riders owned by Bollywood Star SRK. They hope to perform better in the coming 11th session and have spent 67.4 crore INR from their available purse of 67.5 crore INR.
