Sikkim coach, three players in NE team for Duleep Trophy

SAMIR NUGO

GANGTOK,: Sonam Palden Bhutia, a Level B certified coach from Sikkim, has been named the coach of Northeast Zone for the upcoming Duleep Trophy.

Sonam Palden is the first from the Northeast to be appointed a coach of a Duleep Trophy team. The NE Zone played in Duleep Trophy for the first time last year with a Pune coach at the helm of affairs. 

The NE Zonal selection committee which met at Guwahati on June 4 laid emphasis on local players of all member States, who performed well last season, with a view to promote and give opportunity to them in the national arena and exposure to play against the top players of the country. The support staff including coach was also shortlisted from local resources.

Sonam Palden, one of the most experienced coaches in the Northeast, has coached Sikkim senior men’s team in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy and Ranji Trophy.

He also guided Sikkim Under-25 team to the Plate Group title in Col. C.K Nayudu Trophy last year. 

Meanwhile, two players from Sikkim – batsman Nilesh Lamichaney and bowler Palzor Tamang – have been drafted into the 15-member Northeast Zone squad for the Duleep Trophy. All-rounder Lee Yong Lepcha has been named as one of the standby players.

The selection committee has named Nagaland cricketer R. Jonathan as the team captain and Nilesh Lamichaney his deputy.

There are overall five players selected from Manipur Cricket Association, three each from Nagaland Cricket Association and Meghalaya Cricket Association, two players have been named from Sikkim Cricket Association and one each from Arunachal Pradesh Cricket Association and Mizoram Cricket Association.  

Sonam Palden along with Nilesh, Palzor and Lee Yong will leave for Dimapur, Nagaland on Sunday to attend the preparatory camp for the tournament.  

Duleep Trophy, a six-team inter-zonal first-class competition, will kick off India’s domestic season on June 28.