Going into the third season of the Women’s Premier League, significant changes are seen within the Gujarat Giants franchise. In a notable development, former Indian cricketer Mithali Raj, who had been serving as the mentor for the Gujarat Giants in the first two seasons, has decided to step down from her role. The move comes as the WPL 2025 season draws closer, and the franchise looks to build a competitive team for the upcoming season.
Mithali Raj Joins the Andhra Cricket Association
Mithali Raj’s career is entering a new chapter as she leaves Gujarat Giants. The former Indian captain has now joined the Andhra Cricket Association, where she will be carrying out the same role she had with Gujarat, but now her work will include mentoring the senior women’s cricket team and also working on the development of the state team.
Mithali’s decision to part ways with Gujarat Giants signals her growing involvement in the broader development of women’s cricket at the state level.
Nusheen Al Khadeer Exits Gujarat Giants Coaching Staff
In another significant change, former Indian spinner Nusheen Al Khadeer will also be leaving her position as assistant coach of the Gujarat Giants. Al Khadeer, who had played an important role in the coaching setup during the initial two seasons of the WPL, will shift her focus solely towards the India Under-19 women’s team. She is now getting ready the young team for the ICC Women’s Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia in early 2025. The Indian team, of course, won the inaugural edition of the competition, and Al Khadeer’s experience will count as she tries to nudge the next generation through.
Coaching Changes Going into WPL 2025
Despite all the significant departures, Gujarat Giants is working its way to strengthening its coaching staff for the next season. The franchise has retained the services of Michael Klinger as head coach, as he has been the head coach since the last season. An experienced former Australian cricketer, Klinger will lead his team through the WPL 2025 challenges. Leadership and vision will be essential as they look to better their performances from last season.
Klinger expressed his excitement about the upcoming season and the potential of the retained players. “We worked very well together last year, and I am looking forward to building a strong team around the players we have retained for next season.
We will try our best to give our 100 percent with a winning mindset,” Klinger stated. He also recognized the development of several Gujarat Giants players, most of whom have eventually gone on to make their international debut for India. He feels this will give a huge impetus to the team in the future.
New Faces in the Coaching Staff
To strengthen the coaching team further, Gujarat Giants has signed two key personnel for the season. They include Daniel Marsh as the batting coach and Praveen Tambe as the bowling coach. The franchise adds both of these individuals’ experiences to its fold. Their expertise will help enhance the team.
Daniel Marsh – Batting Coach
Daniel Marsh is an experienced Australian cricketer and has been roped in as the batting coach by the Gujarat Giants. With over 150 first-class matches under his belt, Marsh brings a rich experience to the coaching field. He was the head coach of Tasmania from 2013 to 2017 and is currently the assistant coach of the Australian women’s team since 2022. Marsh’s experience working with the best cricketers will be very useful in formulating Gujarat Giants’ batting strategy ahead of the next season of the WPL.
Praveen Tambe – Bowling Coach
In a significant development, Gujarat Giants have roped in former Indian cricketer Praveen Tambe as bowling coach. Tambe has earlier established himself as an effective spin bowler for IPL and is currently serving as spin bowling coach of Lucknow Super Giants. At 41, Tambe continues to give much to the development of young bowlers, and his expertise in spin bowling will be crucial for Gujarat Giants in the WPL.
The experience and insights that Tambe has will help enhance the bowling attack of the team, especially in the spin department.
Michael Klinger Expanding His Coaching Portfolio
While Klinger remains the head coach of Gujarat Giants, the WPL 2025 commitments aside, he also has coaching responsibility elsewhere. In addition to his Gujarat commitment, recently he was appointed as head coach of the Manchester Originals in the Women’s Hundred, the top-level T20 competition in the UK. He also assists in coaching at the Sydney Thunders in WBBL and works as the General Manager of the USA’s Major League Cricket team, Washington Freedom.
All this diversity in experience under his coaching belt, with the help of different leagues, would surely support Klinger’s approach toward helping Gujarat Giants in the WPL 2025 season.
Gujarat Giants WPL 2025 strategy
The Gujarat Giants are making strategic moves to strengthen their squad and coaching staff ahead of the WPL 2025 season. With a strong leadership group, experienced coaches, and a talented roster, the franchise aims to improve on its past performances and challenge for the WPL title. The coaching team’s focus on creating a winning mindset and providing players with the right tools to succeed is expected to play a significant role in the team’s performance.
As the auction date for the WPL will arrive on December 15, 2024, Gujarat Giants would want smart inclusions into the set side to complete their respective needs. Having a refresh of the coaching setup, Gujarat Giants look all ready with a very clear thought of what it needs moving into the competitive and eventful season of the Women’s Premier League.
