Former India women wicketkeeper Anju Jain is set to take over as head coach of the Bangladesh women team. She will replace former England allrounder David Capel, whose 18-month contract hasn’t been extended, according to cricinfo.
Capel will step down after the ongoing South Africa tour consisting of five ODIs and three T20Is, that serve as preparation as Bangladesh seek to qualify for the Women’s World T20 to be played in the West Indies in November.
While the finer details of Jain’s deal are yet to be worked out, it is understood that she will join the national team on a six-month contract and take over as soon as they return from South Africa on May 21. She will be joined by her former India colleague Devika Palshikar and Anuja Dalvi, who are already onboard as assistant coach and physiotherapist respectively.
The BCB has penciled in a 10-day tour of Ireland in preparation for the eight-team Women’s World T20 Qualifiers to be held in Netherlands in July. Bangladesh, who lost all their four matches at the previous edition in 2016, are the top-ranked side in the group that consists of Ireland, Papua New Guinea, Scotland, Netherlands, Uganda, Thailand and United Arab Emirates. Two teams from the qualifiers will join the top eight at the World T20.
Jain is a Level-B certified BCCI coach and has extensively taken part in exchange programmes with Cricket Australia. Her involvement with Bangladesh will mean she will step down as head coach of Vidarbha women’s team. She previously coached India at the 2012 Women’s World T20 and the 2013 World Cup.
Jain is the second India woman cricketer to land the Bangladesh job. Former captain Mamta Maben was previously in-charge of Bangladesh across two stints in 2011 and 2013.
