Sitanshu Mansukhlal Kotak is a former Indian first-class cricketer and cricket coach from Gujarat. A left-handed middle-order batsman, he played domestic cricket for Saurashtra for over two decades and later transitioned into coaching roles with the Saurashtra Cricket Association, the National Cricket Academy, and the senior Indian cricket team support staff.
Key facts
| Full name | Sitanshu Mansukhlal Kotak |
|---|---|
| Born | 19 October 1972, Rajkot, Gujarat |
| Batting | Left-handed |
| Bowling | Right-arm off-break |
| Domestic team | Saurashtra |
| Role | Middle-order batsman; coach |
| Notable coaching roles | Saurashtra head coach; NCA batting coach; India batting coach |
Background
Kotak was born in Rajkot and came through the age-group cricket structure in Saurashtra, a region historically associated with players such as Karsan Ghavri and, in later years, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ravindra Jadeja. He made his first-class debut for Saurashtra in the early 1990s and went on to become one of the most consistent batsmen in the Ranji Trophy circuit during his era.
Playing career
Kotak represented Saurashtra in the Ranji Trophy across roughly two decades, accumulating several thousand first-class runs with multiple centuries. He was known for his technique against pace, patience at the crease, and ability to anchor an innings, traits that made him a senior figure in the Saurashtra batting line-up. He also captained the side and played a mentoring role for younger batsmen, including Pujara, in their formative seasons.
In addition to first-class cricket, he featured in List A and Twenty20 domestic competitions for Saurashtra. He retired from competitive cricket after a long career largely confined to domestic Indian cricket, without representing India at the international level as a player.
Coaching career
After retirement, Kotak moved into coaching, first with Saurashtra, where he was associated with the team during the period in which the state side became a leading force in Indian domestic cricket and won the Ranji Trophy. He worked closely with the Saurashtra Cricket Association at its base in Rajkot.
He subsequently joined the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru as a batting coach, working with India A and emerging players under the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). In this role he was involved in shadow tours and developmental assignments designed to prepare domestic players for international cricket.
Kotak was later appointed as a batting coach with the senior Indian men's cricket team, working alongside the head coach and other support staff during international assignments.
Significance
Kotak is regarded as a representative figure of the long-serving domestic professional in Indian cricket, valued more for consistency and mentoring influence than for international honours. His progression from a Ranji Trophy stalwart to coaching positions at the state, NCA, and national levels reflects a career path increasingly common among senior Indian domestic cricketers.