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KABUL (SW): Lalchand Rajput, the former Indian head coach for Afghanistan’s national cricket team, has said he turned down offer for renewal of contract due to security threats in Kabul.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board on Sunday (August 20) announced that they would not be renewing Lalchand Rajput’s contract as the head coach of the national team. The former India opener and Mumbai captain, under whom Afghanistan attained Test status in June, confirmed the development to Wisden India, stating he had turned down the board’s proposal of having him work out of Kabul.
“The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) will not extend Head Coach Lalchand Rajput’s contract which is due to expire at the end of August this year,” read a release from the board. “ACB would like to thank Mr. Rajput for his satisfactory performance during his time as Afghanistan’s Head Coach. ACB is currently in the process of recruiting a new coach for the National Cricket Team.”
Rajput, who replaced Inzamam-ul-Haq as head coach in June last year, saw Afghanistan, along with Ireland, being handed Test status by the International Cricket Council following their impressive run in the Intercontinental Cup.
“They (ACB) wanted me to come to Kabul,” Rajput told Wisden India. “This is something I had told them earlier also – I cannot stay there, with the current security threats in the region. We have done so well and even got Test status. I was told that people are now asking why the head coach was not in Kabul, and that I should be there.”
“I told them that’s out of question, and that they can look for someone else,” added Rajput. “This was actually the only reason to part ways. They have got the National Cricket Academy in Kabul, so I told them it’s better to hire someone, maybe a local coach, who can stay there and look after the local boys. They want someone to look after their domestic players and eventually pick some of the boys (for the national team). I am not willing to risk my life for this, that’s the only reason why I will not be continuing with the role.”
Sources at the ACB told that the new head coach is likely to hired either from Sri Lanka or South Africa.
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