Paras Mhambrey appointed India A coach

Paras Mhambrey, the former Mumbai captain, has been appointed coach of the India A team for the home series against South Africa A after his predecessor, Chandrakant Pandit, was asked to resume his duties with the Maharashtra team.

"It's an excellent responsibility to handle an India A team and I'm looking forward to it," Mhambrey told the Indian Express.

Ratnakar Shetty, the chief administrative officer of the BCCI, said that the board had decided on the next available option after Pandit's inability to take up the job. "We took into view the domestic performances," Shetty said.

Ajay Shirke, the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) president, said Pandit had to stay since the domestic season was around the corner. "He [Pandit] was free at that time and therefore he could've taken up that responsibility [India A coach]. But with the season about to start, we have a lot of things on hand and therefore he has to stay."

Pandit has been with Maharashtra since August 2005, and had a two-month stint as India A coach on tours to Zimbabwe and Kenya.