Meet Lalchand Rajput: Backroom man of India’s 2007 win to UAE’s joyride

The 20-member field for next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka were completed on Thursday with the UAE grabbing the final spot – emerging as the third team from the Asia/East Asia-Pacific Qualifier after Nepal and Oman. It’s an endorsement for the associate country’s growing credentials in the shortest format, but what often passes under the radar is the contribution of an Indian coach in their journey.

The UAE, which has carved a niche for itself as the only associate member nation to be a major host of international cricket for more than a decade, is the new port of call for journeyman Lalchand Rajput. Now 63, the former Indian opener’s high point as a coach was winning the inaugural 2007 World T20 in South Africa under a young Mahendra Singh Dhoni while he had taken up many a challenging assignment after that with the likes of Afghanistan and Zimbabwe.

‘’It surely gives a great feeling of satisfaction. When I accepted the offer from UAE, I had set three goals for the team - to qualify for the Asia Cup, T20 World Cup and the ODI World Cup. The boys have managed to tick the first two boxes and now the target has to be the 2027 event,’’ remarked Rajput, who played two Tests and four ODIs in the mid eighties.

Speaking to the National Herald from Al Amerat, Oman where the UAE put it across Japan by eight wickets on Thursday to seal a spot in the World T20, Rajput said: ‘’It’s not everyday that a team like us can make the grade for the World Cup and it will give the players valuable exposure. However, now that we have made the cut, our plan is not be there to just make up the numbers.’’

The dye was cast once with the UAE win as it made mathematically impossible for Qatar and Samoa to squeez through, who were hoping for a Japanese win to keep their hopes alive. The complete field this time wears a truly global look with Italy, the football superpower, making the grade by topping the European qualifiers.

Harping on his philosophy of coaching, Rajput said he had always relished the challenge of working with the so called underdogs. ‘’When I take up a new team, I set myself a target of taking it to the next level when I leave. For example, if a batter is delivering upto 50 per cent of his potential, my aim is to take him to at least 70 per cent. Fortunately, I could do this with Afghanistan who went on to get Test status from being rookies while Zimbabwe also did well to qualify for the 2022 World T20. Now, my goal is to do the same with UAE,’’ remarked Rajput, who had also been a coach of Mumbai Indians in the early days of IPL.

Asked to give a peek into his plans for the T20 World Cup, which will be played on somewhat similar surfaces like in the UAE but earlier in the year, Rajput said the blueprint has already started taking shape. “Our strategy will be clear once we know which group we’re in — whether we’ll be in the Indian or Sri Lankan half,” he noted. “We’re particularly focusing on strengthening our middle order and adding more allrounders, which will be crucial.”

Meanwhile, how does he cherish the memory of a young Indian team breaking through in the 2007 T20 World Cup? ‘’It was an unforgettable experience as nobody expected us to win. That World Cup win, in fact, changed the landscape of the game with the T20 boom,’’ he remarked.

ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026

Teams

Qualification path

India: Tournament hosts

Sri Lanka: Tournament hosts

Afghanistan: Top 7 finish T20WC 2024

Australia: Top 7 finish T20WC 2024

Bangladesh: Top 7 finish T20WC 2024

England: Top 7 finish T20WC 2024

South Africa: Top 7 finish T20WC 2024

USA: Top 7 finish T20WC 2024

West Indies: Top 7 finish T20WC 2024

Ireland: ICC Men’s T20 Team Rankings

New Zealand: ICC Men’s T20 Team Rankings

Pakistan: ICC Men’s T20 Team Rankings

Canada: Americas Qualifier

Italy: Europe Qualifier

Netherlands: Europe Qualifier

Namibia: Africa Qualifier

Zimbabwe: Africa Qualifier

Nepal: Asia/EAP Qualifier

Oman: Asia/EAP Qualifier

UAE: Asia/EAP Qualifier