Lalchand Rajput targets World Cup as he urges UAE to 'take up challenge’

Lalchand Rajput might have been forgiven for seeing the fixture list for his first assignment as UAE coach and thinking he was set for an easy introduction.

In the past, he coached the Mumbai Indians in the heady early days of the Indian Premier League. He was part of the set up when India won the first T20 World Cup.

And before that, in his playing days, he had played Tests for India and been regarded as an understudy to the great Sunil Gavaskar.

For someone used to such starry company, the intricacies of the sphere of cricket beyond the international game’s mainstream might have passed him by.

A one-day international tri-series against Scotland and Canada, followed by a T20 bilateral one against the Scots, might seem like a gentle starter for the uninformed.

Fortunately for his new employers, Rajput is anything but uninformed. When it comes to Scotland in particular, he has been there, done that, and got the kilt.

During his days as a club pro in the UK, Rajput once played for Scotland against a touring Pakistan side. He proudly wore tartan to commemorate the occasion.

Four decades on, the Scots have become the leading side outside of the Test-playing elite. In ODI cricket, they are ranked No 11 in the world, above two Test nations – Zimbabwe and Ireland.

They are also the defending champions in Cricket World Cup League 2, which for the UAE recommences with a fixture against Canada in Dubai on Wednesday.

“You always have to face the best, only then will you come to know how good you are,” Rajput, 62, said of the task facing his new charges.

“If you throw somebody into the deep water, then you will come to know if they can swim or not. It is the same thing.

“Play the best team, and from then onwards the other teams will