Rajput promises consistency as he takes over as UAE head coach

Former India cricketer Lalchand Rajput has been appointed head coach of the UAE men's team for three years, replacing Pakistan's Mudassar Nazar.

Rajput's first assignment with the side will be the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 tri-series against Scotland and Canada, being hosted in the UAE from February 28. It will be followed by a three-match T20I series against Scotland at home next month.

The 62-year-old Rajput's appointment comes in the backdrop of UAE failing to make it to the T20 World Cup to be held in the West Indies and the USA this year.

"UAE has emerged as one of the stronger Associate Members in recent years, and the players have put in some good performances in both ODIs and T20Is," Rajput, who played two Tests and four ODIs for India, said in an Emirates Cricket Board release on Wednesday..

"The current batch is exceptionally talented, and I look forward to working with them and further harnessing their cricket skills,"

"I am confident that the boys, buoyed by their exposure to top-quality cricket and practice facilities here in Dubai, will continue to prosper," he added. "AE cricket has a very bright future and my goal would be to make the team perform more consistently and take them to the next level which I am very confident they are fully capable of," he added.

Mubashshir Usmani, General Secretary Emirates Cricket Board commented:: “We are delighted to announce the appointment of Lalchand Rajput as UAE men’s head coach. Rajput has a proven track record and has done an exceptional job as a coach for various national and domestic teams around the world.

“We are confident that under his coaching UAE men’s cricket will flourish further. I also want to take this opportunity to thank Mudassar Nazar for his stellar work as the interim head coach," he added. "udassar will now return to his role as Head of the National Academy Programme where he will continue to identify and groom our future stars.”

Rajput was India coach when the team won the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007. He also had a coaching stint with Afghanistan between 2016-17, during which the ICC granted the country Test status.

His last stint as coach was with Zimbabwe (2018-22), helping the side qualify for the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia, where the Chevrons made it to the Super-12 stage.

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