R Prasanna set for coaching role with Coimbatore team

Tamil Nadu middle-order batsman R Prasanna is likely to take up a coaching role for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL), scheduled to be held in the last week of August.
It was reliably learnt that the dependable southpaw will be the assistant coach of the Coimbatore franchise along with former TN batsman C Hemanth Kumar, who will be chief coach of the team."Both of them have been finalised and will sign the contract within this week," a source close to the development told TOI on Thursday . Prasanna, who is still one of batting mainstays in the Tamil Nadu team, did not feature in the T20s in the last six years.
He played his last T20 match against Maharashtra in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in 2010. Prasanna, who has played 59 first-class and 16 list A matches so far, has been not considered for the shortest format and it was a conscious decision by the left-hander to take up a coaching role which will help test his skills. Prasanna will continue to play for Tamil Nadu in the Ranji Trophy and local TNCA league.
"Prasanna has not been playing T20s for years and he did not want to turn up for a team straightaway. It would have been a difficult and risky move, so he decided to coach a team. Since this league will only feature local players, it will be a great advantage for a current state player like Prasanna to contribute as he is aware of players' strengths and weaknesses. We think he will emerge as a good hand when it comes to finalising the squad and planning strategy ," the source added.
Both Hemanth and Prasanna are childhood friends and have played plenty of cricket together.
Hemanth, who last played for Tamil Nadu in 2005, has represented several state sides including Kerala, Assam and Himachal Pradesh. He has played 39 first-class and 20 list A matches and is currently a member of the Tamil Nadu selection committee.
"Hemanth has played game for a long time and has good knowledge of local cricket. As a state selector he has been interacting with the players directly and has also been involved in the youth development programme in the state. "Moreover, Hemanth and Prasanna are good friends and we all hope their combination helps us give get great results in the TNPL," the source added.