Trevor Penney hopes to be in India before Windies tour

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Wednesday confirmed a DNA report on the appointment of Trevor Penney as India’s new fielding coach. Board secretary N Srinivasan told this paper that Penney will be joining Team India as the new fielding coach.

Given the recent profile of Penney, who has been employed at different places as an assistant coach, there was some confusion if he would be a deputy to Duncan Fletcher. However, Srinivasan cleared the air over the job profile of the 43-year-old Zimbabwean.

“He will be the new fielding coach,” the board secretary said. He has also made it clear that Penney would join duty immediately. “We expect him to be with the team from the West Indies tour itself,” Srinivasan remarked.

Almost similar was the reply of Penney when this paper tracked him down in Australia. “I expect to be in India before the team leaves for the West Indies,” the former England fielding coach, who worked as an assistant coach with the Kings XI Punjab for three years, said. “There are a few issues over my travel. Mainly, I’m sorting out the visa matters,” Penney told this paper from Brisbane.

Understandably, the new fielding coach has already been gagged by the board and he refused to dwell too much into his new role. “I’m very excited about joining the Indian team,” is all that he was willing to add.

Penney has been associated with Queensland Cricket (more precisely Queensland Bulls) as an assistant for the last 12 months. He was expected to continue in the same role under Bulls’ new coach Darren Lehmann this season. But according to a Queensland Cricket (QC) official he has informed the Queensland bosses about his decision to take up the India job. “He is free to take it up if the BCCI and he finalise terms,” said a Queensland official.

The impression emanating from Brisbane is that Penney is highly regarded within QC for his knowledge in the game, particularly his fielding skills. But Tom Moody, who has worked with him in Western Australia, Sri Lanka and Kings XI Punjab, said Penney can bring to the table more than just his expertise in fielding.

“It is a very good appointment. He would bring a lot of value to the Indian cricket set-up,” Moody said. “He is more than a handy batting coach and I’m sure in the environment under Dunan Fletcher, he would cherish the new role. He will be tremendous asset to en excellent Indian team,” said Moody.