Zimbabwe win a Diwali gift for me, says coach Lalchand Rajput

Zimbabwe on Tuesday recorded their first Test win in five years over hosts Bangladesh, and their head coach Lalchand Rajput says it felt like a Diwali gift to him.

There’s an Indian hand behind Zimbabwe’s first Test victory in five years, that of former Test cricketer Lalchand Rajput’s, who is the head coach of Zimbabwe. Rajput played a key role in turning things around for the African nation after they were jolted by political turbulence and an ugly pay dispute between the board and the players.

The former India Test cricketer, who was the manager when India won the World T20 in 2007, said Zimbabwean cricketers had given him a Diwali gift. "I am very happy. It's a Diwali gift for me which the team has given," said Rajput, speaking from Bangladesh.

"It is a very significant win because even the big Test-playing countries come to Bangladesh and really struggle to beat them on home turf. So beating Bangladesh in Bangladesh is a huge win for us," 56-year-old Rajput said.

Brandon Mavuta and Sikandar Raza shared seven wickets between them to bowl Bangladesh out for 169 and register their first away win in 17 years. Incidentally, there last away Test win too came in Bangladesh in 2001 when the beat the hosts at Chittagong.

"I had to rebuild the team and then, after losing few matches earlier on, winning a Test match is a great thing for Zimbabwe Cricket Board and people from Zimbabwe," said the former India batsman.

"It's a team effort. Everybody really contributed as a batting unit....we bowled well on a flat wicket and then the spinners chipped in. Again in the second innings it was the spinners," said Rajput who has also coached Afghanistan in the past.

The second and final Test will be played in Dhaka from November 11.