Following the team’s humiliating 10-wicket defeat to Scotland in the ongoing tri-nation ODI series, the US sacked their coach Stuart Law.

The former Australian batsman and head coach of Bangladesh and West Indies was appointed head coach of the US cricket team in April 2024. During his tenure, the US pulled off a notable upset by defeating Pakistan in the T20 World Cup 2024. He also advanced to the Super Eights in that tournament.

According to Cricbuzz, the decision to sack Law was due to serious complaints from several senior players, who accused him of discrimination and favouritism. This led to a formal investigation by USA Cricket’s board of directors following the team’s tour to the Netherlands in August. The board has not commented on the situation and Law has also chosen to remain silent.

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Law’s relationship with senior players worsened due to several incidents

Reports indicate that Law’s relationship with the senior players worsened due to several incidents during the World Cup and the tour of Holland. The players wrote a letter stating that Law’s negative attitude created a toxic atmosphere within the team. They accused him of disrespecting captain Monank Patel and trying to turn players against him, including misleading them about important decisions.

Tensions between Law and Monank began early when Law suggested finding a new captain shortly after his appointment. Their relationship reached a breaking point during the World Cup when Law pressured Monank into replacing an injured player rather than allowing him to properly recover.

Other players also had problems with Law. Harmeet Singh was reprimanded for talking about bowling strategies and for speaking Hindi during matches. Milind Kumar felt ignored and said Law never gave him feedback, which affected his mental health.

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There were also conflicts over playing strategies, with Law often rejecting Monank’s suggestions. Many players noted that there were very few team meetings to discuss tactics, with one senior player mentioning that his only meeting lasted only two minutes.

“Almost 50% of our team played against Nepal for the first time before the T20I series last week. But the coach never called any meeting with the hitters or pitchers to discuss strategies, game plans or the opposition’s strengths and weaknesses. The only team meeting we had lasted two minutes right there on the field minutes before the toss,” said one of the senior players who complained against Law.

Law’s dismissal, just seven months after taking office, highlights the current problems in American cricket. With an ODI against Nepal approaching, the team needs to come together quickly and work on these issues.

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