Vinayak Samant takes over as Chandigarh head coach ahead of Ranji Trophy opener

Former Mumbai wicketkeeper-batter Vinayak Samant has been appointed head coach of Chandigarh across all formats for the upcoming domestic season. He received a call from the Chandigarh administration earlier this week and joined the squad on Thursday, October 8, just three days before their Ranji Trophy season opener against Mumbai at the Wankhede Stadium on October 11.

As a player, Samant represented Mumbai from 1995-96 through to 2011-12, appearing in 101 first-class matches, 45 List A games and 11 T20s. That extensive experience of Mumbai conditions gives him a useful frame of reference as Chandigarh prepare to face the same opponents in their very first fixture of the new season.

"Every coach's expectations are to do well. And we have some senior players in the squad. Manan Vohra is the captain, he is an experienced player who has played in IPL and the Ranji Trophy. He is a very good captain. We are hoping to give our best shot [against Mumbai]," Samant told Cricinfo.

What are Samant's expectations for Chandigarh this season?

Samant was candid about the scale of the task ahead. Chandigarh managed only one win across their seven Ranji Trophy fixtures in the previous season, suffering five defeats and one draw, which places the new coach under immediate pressure heading into the opener against one of the most decorated sides in the competition's history.

Samant brings substantial domestic coaching experience to the role. He guided Mumbai across two seasons from 2018 to 2020, during which the side claimed the Vijay Hazare Trophy in 2018-19. His most recent assignment was with Bihar, where he oversaw a highly productive campaign that ended with the team winning both the Plate group Ranji Trophy and the Plate group Vijay Hazare Trophy, defeating Manipur in the final of each competition

How does Samant view the challenge of facing Mumbai in the opener?

Samant acknowledged the difficulty of the opening assignment and pointed to a specific preparation challenge rooted in pitch conditions. Chandigarh play on black soil at home, while Mumbai are accustomed to red soil surfaces, a contrast that requires careful planning from the outset.

"Mumbai prepares at a different level, it's a challenge to face them because Chandigarh has black soil at home and Mumbai has red soil. We'll see how to progress session by session. Ups and downs are always there, but we have to stick together as a team," Samant said.