Pubudu Dassanayeke has been a phenomenal coach for Nepal’s team. He guided Nepal to T20 World Cup, he took Nepal to ICC Division One from ICC Division Five and he won many trophies with team. Under his coaching Nepal reached anomalous height in International Cricket with the senior team. He was a man with great vision towards the game.
But all of sudden, this Tuesday afternoon he stepped down as a coach from Nepal’s team. He cited person reasons for his exit as a coach, but, was Pubudu’s personal reasons the only factor for his resignation?
CricNepal’s Subaash Gautam and Krishna Murari spoke to Nepal Cricket Team’s head coach Pubudu Dassanayeke on Wednesday. Here is a part of his interview.
You were in the heart of Nepali Cricket for few years, fans have been very supportive towards you and so does the players. How does it feel to leave the team all of sudden?
It was not a planned one and it was not easy for me as well. Even though it’s been just four years, I’ve made lots of connection with Nepali Cricket and Nepal is going to be in my heart for my lifetime. It was a tough decision and I think I took it at the right time.
How did it come that all of sudden you are stepping down? Is it CAN’s conflict, is it their lack of vision toward the game that forced you to step down?
There are few reasons. One is my personal reason- I love to spend time with my family, which I’ve been missing.
Secondly, I always like to work in a place where I can perform. In the last four years we have solved some little issues but still many issues are yet be be solved. Things have been missing from our performance. And I think CAN hasn’t taken a single step in solving these issues. We are in Division One and we haven’t done anything to match the standard of the game. The bigger picture is, all the administrations have done things things for the team from the beginning but with this administration-they have done nothing.
Is it that CAN has never been supportive in your plans regarding the domestic structure and other things?
Yeah, that’s one thing. And I was very disappointed with what happened with Paras. Whatever said and done, he’s pillar for what Nepal has achieved. Even if he has done mistakes, there is a way of doing things. CAN cannot loose respect. I feel bad for him. He has much cricket left on him and I hope things will get better.
Every players including the Skipper have been very close to you, don’t you think this decision can make an impact on team’s mentality ahead of match against PNG?
That was one of my toughest decision. Players were so close to me. We were beyond cricket. As a coach, apart from cricket I was working on making players a better person. I have a theory that if you make them better person, they are certainly going to play better on the field. Because of all these things, we had a strong bond. And I am going to take lots of memories with them. To leave this place is not easy.
How was Paras Khadka’s reaction, how was CAN’s reaction after you informed them about your decision?
I informed Paras before I resigned. I think my issue shouldn’t be a big issue, coaches comes and goes. It not about individual, it’s about Nepal Cricket and we all have to do the necessary stuff to improve Nepal cricket.
Do you think with the same team of CAN Nepali Cricket can move forward?
More than anything, it’s not about individual. I think, we need to change, new vision has to come in CAN.
Did you accomplished everything with the team that you wanted to accomplish?
I would have loved to be in the I-Cup and have 50 over ODI status. We missed the world cup. But given the circumstances, I think we got the best out of this team.
Is there any chance for you to return to Nepali Cricket?
If the environment changes in the future, if the administration thinks that I can contribute, I will definitely consider.
Your message for the fans?
They’ve been the pillar of Nepal cricket. They’ve been supporting us in good times and bad time. Personally they have supported me as well. Now, they’ve to support more than before. Nepal cricket is going to grow somehow.
Where do you see Nepal after few years?
Nepal has capacity to be a full member country in about 10 years. But for that you need to put things right now. The more you delay, that target is going to get delayed. The biggest challenge for us right now is to say in top two or three in the Division One table. But that seems hard as we are not ready. Every team is putting so much except Nepal. I hope things will get better sooner and I want to see Nepal play the next 50 over World Cup.
Watch the interview here
