Kolkata : The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) has appointed coaching panels for senior and junior level Bengal teams for the 2026-27 season.
Laxmi Ratan Shukla is all set to continue as head coach for the Bengal state senior team. He has been in that role since 2022. CAB had invited applications for a broader set of coaching roles on April 24, including that of the head coach, fuelling talks that the Association might look beyond Shukla, who has been coaching the side since 2022 without a title. Former Maharashtra batter Surendra Bhave as his deputy for the 2026-27 domestic season.
“To ensure the highest standards of excellence and transparency, an independent screening panel comprising distinguished former international and First Class cricketers — Arun Lal, Devang Gandhi and Kalyan Choudhury — was to screen and shortlist the candidates,” the CAB said in a statement.
“The evaluation was conducted strictly independently through comprehensive interviews, ensuring a fair, merit-based and unbiased selection process,” the CAB added.
Shukla has guided Bengal to a Ranji Trophy final (2022-23) and two semifinals during his tenure.
Bhave, who has scored 7,971 runs for Maharashtra from 97 FC matches at an average of 58.18, has extensive experience as a coach on the domestic circuit. He was also a national selector during the 2008-10 period.
Bhave, who also coached Maharashtra, Punjab and Odisha, will be working as the deputy coach and batting consultant. It remains to be seen how Shukla and Bhave gel with each other.
Former Indian and Bengal player Manoj Tiwari has been appointed as U19 Men’s coach with Dattatreya Mukherjee as his deputy. This is the first time that Tiwari will coach a side.
Former India wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha will continue in his role as U-23 head coach with Sabir Ali assisting him. Saha was appointed last season.
Anustup Majumdar, a Bengal stalwart who has played 103 First Class matches and scored 5,962 runs at an average of 41.40, ended his 22-year-long domestic career silently to take up the State U-16 head coach’s role. The 42-year-old, also called ‘Crisis Man’, had a good 2025-26 Ranji season, scoring 393 runs from nine matches, averaging 32.75. Gautam Shome (Jr) will be assisting him.
Meanwhile, CAB seems to be in a fix over having former Australia fast bowler Shaun Tait on board.
Tait, at present the fast bowling coach of Bangladesh, had appeared for an interview before the CAB-appointed three-member panel — Arun Lal, Devang Gandhi and Kalyan Chowdhury — for the Bengal senior men’s head coach’s post, along with a few others.
It is understood that the panel had recommended Tait and former national selector Surendra Bhave, citing incumbent Laxmi Ratan Shukla has had his time.
The Sourav Ganguly-led CAB, however, appears to be focused on continuity and thus announced Shukla as head coach on Wednesday.
“The possibility of appointing Tait as the state fast bowling coach, which includes looking after all age groups, cannot be ruled out yet,” a CAB source stated. “Now, given Tait’s profile, it will cost the association an arm and a leg to get him on board. It could take ₹2 crore or more.”
To everyone’s surprise, Saurasish Lahiri, one of the most successful coaches has been left out of the coaching setup, in all age groups, altogether. He has also been the only coach from Bengal to receive regular invitations from the Centre of Excellence for coaching assignments. Hence, the decision not to assign him any role has raised eyebrows. However, it is learnt that CAB may still assign Saurasish a coaching role in the near future.
