By Rick M 
A major boost to local sporting events, the Nepali cricket celebrity Shakti Gauchan has been named consultant coach of the Lumbini Lions cricket team. This appointment has been made at a right time when the team is preparing for the next season of Everest Premier League (EPL) which is the premier T20 cricket league in Nepal.
New Nepal team’s director Gauchan, former captain of the Nepal cricket team, has a lot of experience in his pocket. Known for his left-arm spin bowling and tactical acumen, Gauchan’s career spans over two decades, during which he played a pivotal role in Nepal’s rise in international cricket. He has been appointed through the hiring process and regarded as a strategic planner by the Lumbini Lions management and aimed at bringing in the coaching staff by reforming the next coming season.
The team, the Lumbini Lions which is associated with the Lumbini province of the country in the EPL has been good seasons but has not won a championship yet. The hopes are that with Gauchan ‘s skills the team will not only be able to sharpen it’s tactical planning in addition to it’s nurturing of players but also develop it values that can propel it to greater success in the playing field.
Lumbini Lions’ CEO Binod Bhandari was optimistic about the decision when he said. It could not be further from the truth, and we welcome Shakti Gauchan into our coaching fraternity. There is no one better than Rodney in terms of experience and knowledge of the game, and thus, we think he will be an ideal addition to the Vines’ team, Bhandari further said.
The problem and issue can also be extrapolated from Gauchan’s suggested role of a consultant coach, which would be complex at that. He will attend to the head coach and the rest of the coaching fraternity in the formulation of game strategies to enhance the techniques of the players and to guide the junior cricketers in the team. Perhaps the most important aspect of his experience will be needed since EPL is gradually attracting foreign players, and thus, the general standard of the competition is being raised.
This appointment has been welcomed by the cricket fraternity in Butwal and for that matter in the Lumbini zone. Local cricket fans believe this is a chance for young players to get a hint from one of the legends of Nepalese cricket. The fact that Gauchan hails from the same area as the centre of the relevant coaching and playing activities makes him especially popular among young cricketers in Butwal and the surrounding area.
Gauchan, the new man on the job, warmly embraced the new position and assumed its responsibility. “I’m honored to be part of the Lumbini Lions family. I want to assist the Group and Company in achieving its objectives and nurturing talent in the field of cricket. We have a lot of potential here, and I’m looking forward to working with the players and staff,” he said.
That time is critical since the new team is about to launch in the new EPL season when Gauchan was hired. This means that he gets enough time to operate with the group and increase his effectual ways. This is a strategy that the Management of Lumbini Lions hopes will not only change the team’s performance but also make the fan base grow and support the team.
Many local business people have also evinced interest in this development as gateway to enhancing the sporting tourism in Butwal. It is possibly true that focusing on the Lumbini Lions could attract more people in visiting Butwal particularly when the season is all about cricket festivals.
However, expectations have risen to an equal level with the appointment of Gauchan at SPSC. The expectation of performance will be shifted to him and the team during the next season. Cricket lovers in Butwal and the whole of Lumbini province will keenly observe how he goes on to utilize his lessons gained.
The Lumbini Lions are already on their pre season preparations and Gauchan has been participating in the exercises. First of all, it has been stated that he has been adding vitality to the teams practise sessions. The players have shown interest at the prospect of coaching with a coach of Gauchan’s quality, praising his work as meticulous and creative.
As a part of requirement, he would also be expected to play a role in identifying talent in the Lumbini province. This might give dreams and needful young talented cricketers from of Butwal and it’s neighbouring areas to be given opportunities to prove themselves and perhaps be selected to be part of Lumbini Lions team.
In addition to the Lumbini Lions team the appointment of Gauchan is going to have its effects. For the development of cricket across the whole of the region, people have perceived it to be a positive notion. Local academies and schools are likely to be part of this gains after Lumbini Lions may seek to hold offen sive drills and awareness sessions in the community especially from him based on his performance during the practise games.
As the news of Gauchan’s appointment spreads, there’s a palpable sense of excitement in Butwal’s sporting community. UK-based cricket spectators are preparing to watch the fresh EPL season and wonder whether Lumbini Lions, with Gauchan as the captain, will provide an improved performance.
By so doing, the Lumbini Lions have not only enriched the coaching section but have also revived the earlier fading interest in local cricket. Thus, as Butwal gears up to cheer up their team, this city in cricket now gets a new phase consultant coach, Shakti Gauchan, which is definitely going to be good news for the players and the fans.