Amol Muzumdar gets call-up as assistant coach with Oranje T20 side

Amol Mazumdar's association with the Dutch team will begin with the 2014 ICC World Cup.

Former Mumbai captain Amol Muzumdar,currently mentor with the Andhra Ranji team,has been appointed the assistant coach for The Netherlands cricket side. The 39-year-old batsmans association with the Dutch team will begin with the 2014 ICC World Cup qualifier to be played in New Zealand. The event will see top two teams qualify for the 2015 ICC World Cup,to be played in Australia and New Zealand.

Muzumdar said the upcoming task will be a challenge for it will be the first time he will be part of an international assignment. They had asked whether I was available for the ICC WC T20 qualifiers which happened in Abu Dhabi a few months ago but Id said no then because I was playing for Andhra in the Ranji Trophy. They asked me again a few days ago and as I was doing nothing I said yes straight away, Muzumdar told The Indian Express.

His association with Netherlands is not new,for Muzumdar had been traveling there to play league cricket for the past three years. He has been serving as a coach-cum-player with Quick the Hague in the Dutch top-tier Topklasse competition and it was where Muzumdar says his association with the national side kicked off.

I know these guys as I have been playing with them in their league. I was also a batting consultant for them,there is a bunch of good players. They all might not be from Holland as a few players are from South Africa and few from Australia. Overall it will be an exciting job going ahead, Muzumdar said. The Quick Club has also seen former Zimbabwe players like David Houghton and Grant Flower representing them in the past.

Muzumdar explains that when he joined Quick they had never won a title in the past 30 years but after his arrival they bagged the Trophy. Despite it being a different set up in a foreign country,knowing most of the people he will work with will possibly make his task easier. Muzumdar feels that had he not been associated with them for past couple of years then identifying players would have been difficult.

They have a side who are raring to go. There is a player Tom Cooper,who is playing Big Bash in Australia. There is also Wesley Barresi,a wicket-keeper batsman of South African origin,and he is an exciting player. It will be great if we can manage to pull off a decent show. It will be great if we qualify, he added.

lenty of experience

Muzumdar might not have international experience under his belt but he has been around the circuit for long enough to have gained a lot of experience. He knows what it takes to be a champion side and during his time with Mumbai,he has played with all the big names of Indian cricket. Additionally,he also led the side to a Ranji triumph as skipper. Coaching will be a different cup of tea,but Muzumdar is not fazed by the challenge.

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You never know what destiny places for you in the future. I never thought Id be part of The Netherlands and who knows something big can happen in coming days, he hopes.