Ghavri is new Mumbai coach

Former India pace bowler Karsan Ghavri has been appointed as the new coach of domestic cricket powerhouse Mumbai following the resignation of another former Test player Chandrakant Pandit.

The Mumbai Cricket Association's Cricket Improvement Committee took the decision to hand over the mantle of guiding the fortunes of the oft-crowned national champions in 2005-06 season after Pandit had sent in a letter expressing his inability to continue, MCA Secretary Lalchand Rajput said in Mumbai.

Pandit said in his letter that he needed a break from coaching as he had done so for the last four years at a stretch, including a stint as the junior Mumbai team coach at the beginning for one year.

"I do not know whether he is taking up a coaching job in another place", said his former Mumbai and India teammate Rajput.

Ghavri, a former left-arm pace bowler who had partnered the legendary Kapil Dev at the beginning of the latter's international career, was coach of the Bengal squad in the last season.

The winds of change sweeping the MCA corridors also saw former captain Milind Rege replacing ex-India skipper Dilip Vengsarkar at the helm of the senior selection committee following completion of the latter's four-year term.

Others comprising the senior committee are Abey Kuruvilla, Sanjay Patil and Umesh Kulkarni.

As a practice one selector from the higher committee is appointed as Chairman of the next rung and Kuruvilla, the gangling former pacer, has taken over as the chief selector of MCA's under 19-committee with Kiran Mokashi, Raju Sutar and Sanjay Jaywant as other members.