Sourav Ganguly. [Source - AFP]Cricket in Bengal is heading in a new direction with a fresh approach to coach and support staff selections. Sourav Ganguly's Bengal takes a historic step as they have parted ways with senior men's team coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla and is now looking for a replacement through a transparent process.This move aims to promote transparency and merit in the selection process. By moving away from closed-door decisions, Bengal is focused on building a stronger, more competitive team, prioritizing experience, qualifications, and long-term development for the betterment of domestic cricket in the state.Bengal Cricket opens structured hiring advertisement for coaching roles The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) has officially started a public recruitment process for coaching and support staff positions. This is the first time such an open advertisement system has been used for selecting key coaching roles in the state setup.Sourav Ganguly-led Bengal Cricket’s intentions are big and are clearly visible in this move, as the association opens opportunities for coaching roles in Senior, Women’s, and age-group teams like Under-16, Under-19, and Under-23. Bengal Cricket’s new coach hiring process inspired by BCCI model The new hiring system of Bengal Cricket will follow a structured method similar to the one used by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Candidates must meet clear criteria, including at least 30 first-class matches or 1 Test, 30 ODIs, or 45 T20Is, along with recognised BCCI Level 2 or 3 coaching certifications for eligibility. Those without playing experience can still apply if they have strong coaching backgrounds with 3 to 5 years of coaching experience in senior domestic teams or at age-group levels. The upper age limit is also set at 60 years, along with qualification checks to balance experience and modern coaching standards. The submission of applications will be open till May 1 at 5 pm. After the deadline, shortlisted candidates will move into screening and detailed interview rounds, where their coaching experience and credentials will be carefully evaluated. Also Read: Jay Shah Surrounded By Hounding Questions For Credit Stealing In IndiaA Bengal aims to rebuild after mixed domestic results Sourav Ganguly's Bengal takes this historic step at a time when Bengal’s domestic performances have not been consistent. The team reached the Ranji Trophy semi-final last season but lost to Jammu & Kashmir in a major setback during the knockout stage. In limited-overs cricket, Bengal struggled even more. They failed to move past the group stage in both the Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, showing inconsistency across formats and raising concerns about overall team performance. With these results in mind, this move is seen as a rebuilding effort. The key responsibilities mentioned in the Bengal Cricket's notice include Developing, managing, and delivering high-performance Bengal teams across all age groups,building competitive and consistent teams across all formats,focusing on long-term player development rather than short-term results,preparing players for progression from state level to zonal and national levels,ensuring a smooth transition of players across different age-group categories.Also Read: Harbhajan Singh Joins BJP: List Of Indian Cricketers Who Turned Politicians
