India, May 29 -- Cricket Association of Bengal has retained Laxmi Ratan Shukla as the head coach of the state Ranji Trophy team and roped in former Maharashtra batter Surendra Bhave as his deputy for the 2026-27 domestic season.

The CAB had invited applications for a broader set of coaching roles on April 24, including that of the head coach, fuelling talks that the association might look beyond Shukla, who has been coaching Bengal since 2022.

"To ensure the highest standards of excellence and transparency, an independent screening panel comprising distinguished former international and first-class cricketers - Arun Lal, Devang Gandhi and Kalyan Choudhury - was to screen and shortlist the candidates," the CAB said in a statement.

"The ...