As Tamil Nadu Cricket Team prepares for the upcoming domestic season, they are doing so with a fresh backroom staff. The season kicks off with the Buchi Babu invitational tournament next week. Former India pacer L. Balaji leads the coaching team while a new selection panel, headed by former TN cricketer K. Shri Vasudeva Das, is in place. Rahil Shah, R. Srinivasan, and Suresh Kumar round out the panel.
This past season, Tamil Nadu reached the Ranji Trophy semifinals for the first time in five years, ultimately losing to the eventual champions, Mumbai. In an interview with Sportstar, chairman Vasudeva Das highlighted the team’s goal of building upon this success. “Last year, we did well and are on the right track. So, we just want to continue that without trying to change many things. We have abundant talent, and it’s about backing them. I would like the senior established players to take more onus for the TN team’s cause,” he shared.
Vasudeva Das’s experience heading the junior selection committee for the past three years has given him a clear understanding of the young talent pool within the state. Several of these promising youngsters have been selected for the Buchi Babu tournament. He sees this as an excellent opportunity for them to gain valuable experience. “This tournament allows us to test our bench strength, and it is now up to the youngsters to swim in the deep end. We want to focus on consistency from the players and the team,” he added.
When asked about specific areas of focus for the Buchi Babu tournament, Das said, “We do have some ideas, and it is always good to have a pool of fast bowlers or spinners. But we need to work on strategies according to our strengths and maximize it.” The new panel is ready to build upon the team’s recent success while simultaneously nurturing young talent. This new era for Tamil Nadu Cricket is poised to be exciting, filled with promise for the future.
