Former India wicket-keeper Ajay Ratra appointed as Uttar Pradesh coach

Former India wicketkeeper-batter Ajay Ratra has been appointed as the coach of the Uttar Pradesh cricket team and will be seen guiding the men's team next season. It is to be noted that Ratra is a qualified National Cricket Association (NCA) Level 3 coach. 

Ahead of his coaching stint with UP, the 40-year-old has made it clear that his ultimate aim is to tap the potential of the cricketers in Uttar Pradesh. At the same time, he has also expressed his gratitude to his employers Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) for providing him with the opportunity.

It is a great opportunity for me: Ajay Ratra

“It is a great opportunity for me that I am getting to coach a team like UP. It is a talented side and there is a lot of potential," Ratra said, as quoted by Cricket Next.

“I recently completed my level 3 at NCA that should also help me in this role. Also, I want to thank my employer ONGC for constant support," he added.

The 40-year-old was previously associated with Assam and this time he has been appointed as the UP coach where he would be succeeding another India wicketkeeper-batter Vijay Dahiya. 

Uttar Pradesh had last won the Ranji Trophy in the 2005/06 season and therefore, the onus will be on Ratra to prepare a blueprint as UP look forward to rewriting history.

As far as Ajay Ratra's international cricketing career is concerned, he could not have a prolonged one and only managed to play six Tests and 12 One Day Internationals for India. While his career did not last long at the highest level, the Haryana-born cricketer did manage to achieve a unique feat.

He became the yougest wicket-keeper to score a Test century and also became the second Indian wicket-keeper batter to register an overseas ton. He later lost his place to the then promising talent Parthiv Patel. With the emergence of  Dinesh Karthik and MS Dhoni, Ajay Ratra was never in the scheme of things again.