IPL 2015: RCB appoint Bharat Arun as assistant coach
Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have appointed current Indian bowling coach Bharat Arun as their assistant coach for the 2015 IPL season. The 52-year-old will join Daniel Vettori (head coach), Allan Donald (bowling coach) and Trent Woodhill (batting coach) in the RCB support staff.
Arun, who replaced Joe Dawes as the bowling coach of the Indian team after India’s disastrous Test tour of England last year, had recently received praise from Indian team director Ravi Shastri for playing an important role in the bowlers’ outstanding show at the ongoing 2015 World Cup, with India being the only side to get the opposition all out in all 7 matches that they have played so far.
"He [Arun] did not inherit bowlers who have played 100 Test matches. He inherited a very inexperienced attack and he needed time to understand what their strengths are, what their weaknesses are, and what he could work on. The important thing is, when the big moment comes, like a World Cup, get the players ready. And he has done exactly that. So you have to give credit to Arun,” Shastri told Wisden India.
Arun, who represented India in 2 Tests and 3 ODIs in the late 1980s, was also the head coach of the Indian U-19 team that won the Under-19 World Cup in 2012 in Townsville under the leadership of Unmukt Chand.
The Bengaluru-based team boast of an impressive fast bowling attack with the likes of Mitchell Starc, Adam Milne, Sean Abbott and Varun Aaron at their disposal, and they would certainly be hoping for a much improved outing this time around, as compared to last year when they finished second from bottom in the league.