Arun Lal to continue as Bengal head coach, confirms CAB secretary Snehasish Ganguly

Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) secretary Snehasish Ganguly has shrugged off suggestions that the state body is mulling over replacing head coach and former India cricketer Arun Lal.

In the past few months, there have been reports in the media that CAB is looking at replacing Lal from the head coach position.

Lambasting the media for the same, Snehasish categorically denied the development and termed it 'baseless'. He also said that such 'rumours' are 'unnecessary and harmful' to the morale of the players and support staff, especially during the middle of the season.

"I have seen in some sections of the media that CAB is in the process of appointing new coaching staff in the coming season," Snehasish said as quoted by News18.

"I would like to state categorically here that this news is baseless. These rumours are unnecessary and harmful in the middle of a season when the senior Bengal team is playing good competitive cricket," he added.

The CAB secretary also heaped high praise on the Bengal players and the support staff for their excellent performances. The State Association is pleased with the kind of work that the Arun Lal-led unit is doing.

The former Bengal player further praised the ex-India batter by citing, "The team is playing well. The coaching staff is doing an excellent job. CAB is very happy with the current support system around the team, and any news, on the contrary, is false and baseless." 

Arun Lal has done a brilliant job as a head coach thus far. Under his leadership, Bengal qualified for the finals of the Ranji Trophy for the first time after a 13-year-hiatus back in 2019/20, where the Jaydev Unadkat-led Saurashtra eventually beat them.

The team has continued its good performance this season as well. Bengal won all three league games and have qualified for the knockout stages, which will take place in June 2022.