Arun Lal may stage a comeback in Bengal cricket as the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) is in talks with the former captain and coach regarding assuming the role of head of the junior teams.
The performances of Bengal’s U-16, U-19 and U-23 men’s teams have been far from impressive this season. The U-16 team lost in the quarter finals of the Vijay Merchant Trophy while the U-19 boys lost in the pre-quarter final stage of the Cooch Behar Trophy.
The U-23 side couldn’t even reach the knockout stage of the CK Nayudu Trophy, suffering some embarrassing defeats. The senior Bengal’s men team too made a group-phase exit from the ongoing Ranji Trophy.
So to bring about a proper supply line for the senior team, the CAB seems keen on the return of Lal, under whose coaching and mentorship Bengal had finished runners-up in the Ranji 2019-20 season and reached the semi-finals in the 2021-22 edition, following some disappointing seasons.
“It’s not yet official, but CAB president Snehasish Ganguly and Arun Lal had spoken about the matter a few days back. The CAB wants him to be kind of a head or overall coach of the (men’s) junior teams.
“Arun Lal had wanted rest for a year or so after relinquishing his duties (in 2022) for the senior Bengal men’s team, but he now appears keen to get back to work,” a CAB insider said.
