Hrishikesh Kanitkar to coach Goa

Hrishikesh Kanitkar to coach Goa ahead of their domestic season

Former Maharastra batsman Hrishikesh Kanitkar has joined Goa as their coach ahead of the domestic season. Batsman Dheeraj Jadhav has also joined the team as a professional. Both have received a one-year contract from the Goa Cricket Association.

Kanitkar had announced his retirement from competitive cricket earlier this month, while Jadhav has joined Goa after playing for Assam for six seasons, since 2009-10.

"After helping Assam qualifying for the top tier as captain, there was a sense of achievement. When the Goa opportunity cropped up, I took it up since it is again a new challenge to help the team into the elite," Jadhav told ESPNcricinfo. "And it is a great feeling to be able to be reunited with Hrishi. We had some great memories as team-mates. Let us hope we can revive the same magic for Goa this time around."

Kanitkar captained the side when Jadhav scored more than 1000 runs in the Ranji Trophy plate group in 2003-04, which helped Maharastra win the tournament. Jadhav then left Maharastra to join the Indian Cricket League in 2007, while Kanitkar joined Madhya Pradesh the following year. He then joined Rajasthan and led them to win Ranji titles two years in a row in 2010-11 and 2011-12.

Jadhav then joined Assam to make 3256 runs, including 12 hundreds and 10 fifties in 44 matches at an average of 56.13.

Kanitkar has also played two Tests and 34 ODIs for India. Jadhav, however, did not get an international cap but managed to make the Test squad for three matches.

Coaching the Goa team will be Kanitkar's full-time responsibility. Prior to this, he was appointed as as assistant coach for Kochi Tuskers Kerala in 2011, but refused to coach the side even before the season began due to disputes with the owners.

"Coaching is something I am very keen on. If I get an opportunity to work with teams, it would be a great learning experience," Kanitkar had said at the time of his retirement.

The Goa Cricket Association also announced Ajay Ratra, India's former wicketkeeper as the Under-19 coach. Ratra too had announced his retirement earlier this month and had played for Goa as a professional.