Former India seamer Vinay Kumar appointed Karnataka senior men's head coach
Bengaluru, Aug 13
Former India right-arm pacer Vinay Kumar has been appointed as head coach of the Karnataka senior men's team for the upcoming 2026/27 domestic season, said the Karnataka State Cricket Association on Thursday.
Vinay, 42, takes over the reins from Yere Goud, who joined the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru as a batting coach. Ex-Karnataka batter Deepak Chougule joins his support staff as the fielding coach.
This will mark Vinay's maiden stint as Karnataka's head coach. He previously coached the Hubli Tigers in the Maharaja T20 Trophy and served as bowling coach for MI Emirates in the ILT20. Following his retirement from all formats in 2021, Vinay also worked as a talent scout for Mumbai Indians in the IPL and commentator for Star Sports Kannada.
Vinay represented India in one Test, 31 ODIs, and nine T20Is. He was also part of IPL-winning campaigns with Kolkata Knight Riders in 2014 and Mumbai Indians in 2015 and 2017. He remains the highest wicket-taker among seamers in Ranji Trophy history with 442 wickets and stands in the fourth spot on the all-time list in India's premier red-ball tournament.
In a first-class career spanning 139 matches, Vinay picked up 504 wickets at an average of 22.44. As captain, Vinay etched his name in domestic cricket folklore by leading Karnataka to an unprecedented 'double-treble' - winning the Ranji Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy, and Irani Cup back-to-back across the 2013/14 and 2014/15 seasons.
Karnataka, who finished as Ranji Trophy runners-up in the last domestic season, are set to kick off their 2026/27 campaign against Andhra on October 11. Former Karnataka and Vidarbha batter Ganesh Satish has been appointed as U23 men's coach, while former player Kunal Kapoor, who was working with the U16s for the past few years, is now U19 men's coach, and SN Ameet will serve as senior women's and U23 head coach.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Finally a deserving candidate! Vinay has paid his dues in domestic cricket. His experience as a scout with Mumbai Indians and coaching stints will help nurture young Karnataka talent. But I hope he focuses on developing new bowlers rather than relying on old warhorses.
His Ranji Trophy record speaks volumes - 442 wickets as a seamer is no joke. The team finished runners-up last season, so the pressure is on. But Vinay knows what it takes to win titles. All the best to the Karnataka team for the new season! 💪
Good appointment but I hope KSCA gives him full support and doesn't interfere like they did with previous coaches. Our domestic cricket needs stability. Also glad to see Ganesh Satish and Kunal Kapoor getting roles - good blend of experience and youth in the coaching setup.
Vinay Kumar deserves this after all his contributions to Karnataka cricket. That 2013-14 and 2014-15 double-treble era was magical - matches used to fill up at Chinnaswamy! Hope he can rebuild that winning culture. Karnataka has so much talent, just needs proper guidance.
Solid pick! His experience with MI Emirates and as a talent scout gives him a modern perspective. Let's see if he can develop a bench strength for Karnataka. The new season starts against Andhra on October 11 - exciting times ahead! 🏏
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