Debu Mitra marks a return to cricket coaching in Bengal

Former Sourashtra coach appointed Head Coach of Police Club Cricket Academy

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Debu Mitra inaugurating the cricket academy of the Police Athletic Club on Saturday. Image Source: XtraTime

Kolkata: Former Bengal cricketer and successful manager of Bengal’s Ranji Trophy win in 1989-90 season; Debu Mitra is back coaching the budding cricketers of Bengal. The former Sourashtra coach has been appointed the Head Coach of the cricket academy of the Police Athletic Club in association with Saradindu Mukherjee Cricket academy.

The 68 year old will give coaching to the aspiring cricketers of both the academies. The much awaited cricket academy of the Police Athletic Club will begin its journey from April 01.

Speaking about his new assignment Debuda (as he is popularly known) said, “It will be almost a gap of almost 12 years that I will be coaching in Bengal. I feel coaching the youngsters in academy will be a new challenge for me.”

Former India cricketer Saradindu Mukherjee commented, “I grew up under Debu da and also had the opportunity of playing club cricket with him. I feel he (Debu Mitra) is the right man to coach the kids.”

The Kanpur-born Mitra made a serious impact by promoting the Sourashtra side to Elite group from Plate division in the 2005-06 seasons and from then Saurashtra has never looked back. During Mitra’s regime, the State produced three India players in left-arm medium-pacer Jaydev Unadkat, left-arm all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and Cheteshwar Pujara.

Mitra also guided one of India’s finest left-handers, Sourav Ganguly, who went on to captain the country successfully. One would hope another Sourav Ganguly emerge from these two academies.