Rajput commits to Chevrons

LALCHAND Rajput says he is staying put as head coach of the Zimbabwe senior men’s national cricket team.

Media reports have sparked speculation regarding a move elsewhere for the 58-year-old Indian mentor.

However, Rajput says he is fully committed to honouring his three-year contract with Zimbabwe Cricket, which runs up to the end of September 2021.

“I am contracted with the ZC board until September 2021 and I have no intention to leave before that. I have a contractual obligation and I abide by that,” he said.

Rajput has been holed up in his home country since March when governments across the world imposed lockdown restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The ZC are, however, making plans to have him back in Harare as soon as possible so that he can take charge of Zimbabwe’s preparations for a potential home tour against Afghanistan that has been lined up for July-August.

Meanwhile, Australian cricket coach Justin Langer revealed yesterday long-time batting assistant, Zimbabwe-born Graeme Hick, was among 40 jobs axed due to Covid-19.

He said telling him was like “facing Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh without a helmet and a box on”.

Cricket Australia announced the round of cuts on Wednesday, a day after chief executive Kevin Roberts resigned, with the former England batsman one of those let go.

Langer said it was “really hard” breaking the news to Hick – as tough as facing the legendary West Indian pace duo.

“You won’t meet a person of greater integrity than Graeme Hick. His worth ethic is unbelievable, his knowledge of the game is unbelievable, so it was a really tough call,” he said.

“It’s nothing that he’s done, it’s more of an impact of the cost-cutting that we’re doing because of the Covid situation.”

Some 15 percent of Cricket Australia’s staff are being made redundant to save Aus$40 million (US$27.6 million), with the governing body concerned about further financial shocks this year.

Langer said the cuts would have an impact on the national team.

Along with losing Hick, he said it may not be possible to have a second selector travel on overseas tours, as is customary.

Langer, Trevor Hohns and George Bailey make up the three-man selection panel.

“I think there’ll be more in-depth conversations to work through actually how this is going to work,” he said.

“So, we’re aware of it now and now it’s (time) to do our job, to get creative and work out how it’s best going to work for the organisation and for the team.”

The cuts could also have implications for Langer’s favoured approach of tapping former greats as mentors, roles filled in recent times by Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting.

“We’re just going to have to be more creative and we’re going to have to work through solutions for how we can make that (mentoring) happen,” he said.

“We will certainly have less staff on the road with us, but the guys will still get great support. We’ll be a bit leaner and sharper, that’s for sure, but we’ll survive, we’ll adapt, and the players will still get the service required.”— zimcricket/AFP.