Kolkata Club Cricket Exclusive: East Bengal to go with a squad full of all-rounders; a new challenge for coach Monayem

East Bengal Cricket team is all set to take the Kolkata Club Cricket club by storm after a not-so-successful last season. The red and yellow brigade will have a totally reformed team ahead of the 2023/24 season of Kolkata Club cricket. The Maidan giants have roped in coach Abdul Monayem from Bhawanipore to get the trophies back to the club. Abhishek Das is set to lead the club. Sportz Point brings you the full list of the East Bengal squad before they even sign at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata.

Even before the last season ended fully, fans knew that some of their major players would leave the club. Players like Ishan Porel, Ankur Paul, Akash Pandey and Sayan Shekhar Mondal will join the arch-rivals Mohun Bagan Athletic Club for the next season. So, to replace them, the team management had to look for some match winners in the squad. All-rounders Ayan Bhattacharjee, Akash Ghatak and Shryean Chakraborty will be one of those players for them. Writtick Chatterjee and Arka Sarkar will be their other main all-rounders for next season.

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"We have got the best all-rounders of Kolkata Club Cricket:" East Bengal captain Abhishek Das

Coach Abdul Monayem and captain Avishek Das feel having good all-rounders will give the team the exact balance they are looking for in the squad. Not only that, captain Abhishek Das went on to say that Ayan Bhattacharjee and Akash Ghatak are some of the best pace bowling all-rounders going on in the market.

"Having good all-rounders is always vital. They provide you with the balance in the squad. Me and Ayan have been playing for many years. I feel Ayan and Akash Ghatak are some of the best at the moment from Bengal. You can use them anywhere with the bat and ball," Abhishek Das told Sportz Point in an exclusive telephonic conversation.

In the batting lineup, East Bengal will have the services of Subhrajit Das, who was captain of Customs Club last season. Along with him, there will be Mithilesh Das (roped in from Kalighat), Ayan Gupta, Shashank Singh (roped in from Shaymbazar) and Suroit Yadav. Amitoze Singh will be their outstation player in the batting lineup. Sourav Paul and Arpan De will be the main wicket-keeper batters for them.

"You can not win without being positive:" Das

Abhishek Das will be crucial in the batting lineup at the top of the order and he admits to that. "I know at the top of the order, I will be vital for the team, giving them a good start. I am attacking in my approach but never reckless. Even if I get reckless it is balanced with braveness," Das told Sportz Point.

Just like my batting, I will be very much positive in my captaincy as well. You can not win matches without being positive. This will be a huge responsibility for me after serving Bhawanipore for 13 years. There will be many boys whom I have played with at Bhawanipore. So, I guess, that will make it easier for me," Abhishek Das added.

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With the new-looking squad, it looks like Amit Kuila will be the pace-head for them. The railways' pacer will join them from Kalighat after having a successful stint at the club. Sumit Mohanta will be his partner in crime. Satyaki Dutta, Arka Sarkar, Akash Ghatak and Ayan Bhattacharjee will be the other pacers for them. Roshan Singh will be their left-arm quick to provide variety to the squad.

Kuila, Shreyan, Sumit and Roshan Singh makes a good bowling department for East Bengal"

The spin bowling department is one of the most vital parts of the success of Kolkata Club Cricket. Shreyan Chakraborty will head that department for East Bengal. Shreyan already had a great run for East Bengal in the past and surely would love to continue that this season. Along with him, it will be Vineet Mourya, Amrit Raj Upadhyay, and Balkesh Yadav in the spin department for the ultras.

"It's a challenge and responsibility for me:" Coach Abdul Monayem on being appointed as the coach of East Bengal Cricket team

Coach Abdul Monayem is hopeful of doing great things as a coach. Abdul Monayem as a player was very successful for the Red and Yellow. But, he knows this is a huge responsibility as public clubs like East Bengal demand success.

"It is a challenge and responsibility for me. East Bengal being a public club, will always demand success from me and us. As they say, "amago club," I believe East Bengal as my club from my playing days. I have done coaching in Mohun Bagan as well but that was 15 years back. So, I am really hoping for a great season ahead," Monayem told Sportz Point.

"We have got a very balanced side with lots of all-rounders. We have a mix of youngsters and experienced players. So, really hoping to play some good cricket," he added.

East Bengal Cricket Team full squad for Kolkata Club Cricket season 2023-24

Abhisek Das (C), Aishik Patel, Shashank Singh, Subhrajit Das, Suorjit Yadav, Ayan Gupta, Satyaki Dutta, Amitoze Singh*, Mithilesh Das, Akash Ghatak, Sumit Mohanto, Amit Kuila, Roshan Singh, Balkesh Yadav, Amrit Raj Upadhyay, Ayan Bhattacharjee, Vineet Mourya, Sekhar, Singh Chouhan, Sourav Paul, Writtick Chatterjee, Aditya Sharma, Arka Sarkar, Mrityunjay Yadav*, Shreyan Chakraborty