The coaching staff of the senior Bengal team may have a lesser number of heads for the upcoming domestic season. Saurasish Lahiri, who had been a part of the group over the last three years, is set to work as head coach of the Bengal U-19 team.

Laxmi Ratan Shukla, however, will continue as chief coach of the senior side.

It was learnt that the former Bengal off-spinner had a meeting with Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president Snehasish Ganguly recently where Lahiri was requested to take charge of the U-19 team as his expertise has helped the junior cricketers excel at the national level earlier.

Under Lahiri, the Bengal U-23 team had emerged champions in the National one-day tournament in 2019 besides finishing runners-up in the CK Nayudu Trophy (a multi-day red-ball affair) in 2017 and 2018. From that U-23 squad, quite a few players like pacer Akash Deep and top-order batter Sudip Gharami graduated to the senior team.

The performance of the Bengal junior teams has been poor at the national level last season. The CAB believes Lahiri, with his guidance, can bring about a change in the state of affairs at the U-19 level, which also acts as the supply line for the senior squad.

For Lahiri, this could be the “toughest challenge” of his coaching career so far. “I’ve been at the NCA (National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru) and seen the approach of the U-19 players selected for the camps there.

“I’ll certainly look to inculcate that in our U-19 cricketers as well. It’s tough, but I’ll do it my way,” Lahiri, also a part of the NCA’s current bowling coaches group, said.

Saha in probables

Former India keeper-batter Wriddhiman Saha and Sudip Chatterjee, who both represented Tripura in the last two seasons, have been named in the list of Bengal probables for the 2024-25 season.

Right-arm quick Yudhajit Guha, currently at an U-19 NCA camp in Bengaluru, is the new face on the 38-member list. The senior squad is likely to begin its pre-season on
July 15.