Vincent’s journey from being a Ranji all-rounder to shaping the US u-19 team as head coach

The former Andhra all-rounder, who played 33 games between 1990-98 with a career-best score of 105 against Kerala, is also an avid wildlife and nature photographer

Hyderabad: For former Andhra Ranji all-rounder Vincent Vinay Kumar, earning a two-year contract as head coach of the USA under-19 team and as assistant coach for the USA Senior team can well be a recognition of his efforts in shaping the young talent having been associated with the USA national teams, including as assistant coach of the senior team, in the last couple of years.

“The assignment essentially is to groom the under-19 talent for the next World Cup and also the seniors for the next World Cup,” the 56-year-old Vincent informed ‘Telangana Today’.
“The preparations will start first with the selection of the under-19 team after the tour to the West Indies in July, which is essentially an exposure trip,” he said.

“Then we have the qualifiers for the Under-19 World Cup in Atlanta. We are confident of putting up an impressive performance in South Africa recently, where we won the Cubbs championship,” Vincent said. “It was a big achievement for sure,” he added.

“Later in October, I will be with the senior team in Dubai for a three-nation series as part of the preparations for the ODI World Cup,” the Hyderabad-based cricketer with coaching experience of about two decades said.

Fresh from his recent assignment with the USA senior team, which won the championship in Grand Cayman (Caribbean Islands) featuring Canada, Cayman Islands, Bermuda and Bahamas with five wins from six matches, Vincent felt the future certainly looked bright.

“Thanks to USA cricket, now many domestic tournaments are being played, throwing up a lot of young talent,” he said.

“It is a challenging task for sure considering the fact that the USA lost all the games in the last World Cup (Under-19),” Vincent said. “I look at my job grooming, mentoring and giving those technical inputs which make them better cricketers,” he said.

The former Andhra all-rounder, who played 33 games between 1990-98 with a career-best score of 105 against Kerala, is also an avid wildlife and nature photographer.

“Yes, whenever I find time on my trips,I would like to be in the lap of Mother Nature. It gives immense pleasure,” he said.