Name Hindi: लालचंद राजपूत / Gender Coach
About Lalchand Rajput
Lalchand Sitaram Rajput is an accomplished Indian cricketer and a distinguished coach. He was born on 18th December, 1961 in Mumbai. He largely contributed to the success of Indian cricket team in numerous tournaments due to his exceptional skills, experience and passion for the sport.
Career as Player:
Domestic Career:
Rajput started his career with the Bombay cricket team at domestic level. As an opening batsman, he predominantly excelled in first-class cricket where he played from 1985 until 1998 scoring more than 7,600 runs which included 26 centuries.
International Career:
Rajput made his debut internationally during India’s tour to Sri Lanka in February 1985 where he scored 93 shortly before accumulating half century against Pakistan. His appeal significantly decreased due to his inconsistency leading him play only two test matches and four one-day internationals between 1985-87. Yet his contribution towards Indian Cricket was far beyond just playing.
Career as Coach:
The Journey From Player To Coach
In recent years, Rajput has been recognized for coaching contributions rather than for his batting skills. In fact, today he is regarded more as a high-profile cricket coach who greatly influenced Indian cricket through brilliant leadership and strategic mindsets.
Coaching the U19 Team:
Post retirement from active cricket life, Lalchand focused on shaping next generation players by undertaking the coaching responsibilities for Under-19 Cricket Team of India in early year of 2000s.
Managerial Role For T20 World Cup Victory:
In September 2007, Rajput was appointed as the manager of Indian cricket team for T20 World Cup tournament. Under his leadership and managerial expertise, India seized their first T20 World Cup trophy.
Duties As An International Coach:
Rajput’s prolific coaching skills attracted attention beyond India too. His potential took him to foreign lands where he coached various international teams including Afghani cricket team which significantly improved under his lead from 2016-17, Zimbabwean cricket team in May 2018 and other leading overseas clubs around globe.
Achievements:
- 1985: Made debut in Test match for Sri Lankan tour
- 1990: Crowned “Indian Cricketer Of The Year”
- 2004: Began career as a coach
- 2007: Managerial role in clinching T20 Cricket world cup
- 2016: Took over as Afghanistan’s chief coach
In conclusion, Lalchand Sitaram Rajput is an accomplished Indian cricketer who made significant contributions both as a player and coach. His passion and efforts towards grooming future generations defines his legacy within sport fraternity.
