Former India wicketkeeper and chief national selector Kiran More believes that if there is a cricket team in the world to watch out for in the future, it is USA.

Speaking to DNA from Baroda after returning from Los Angeles following his first round of visit to see the cricketing structure and facilities that USA has on offer, More said, "USA has got some serious talent, albeit immigrants from the West Indies, Asian sub-continent, England, Australia and other major cricketing nations or their offsprings."

More has been appointed as the interim director (cricket) by USA Cricket with a host of reputed coaches like multiple-time Ranji Trophy winning coach of Mumbai, Pravin Amre, spin consultant of Bangladesh until their campaign ended in the 2019 World Cup, Sunil Joshi, Mumbai Indians fielding coach James Pamment and former fast bowling coach of Australian team David Saker to organise camps and get them going.

"In future, the cricket team to watch out for is USA," asserted More, the 56-year-old gloveman who played in 49 Tests and 94 ODIs for India besides appearing in two Cricket World Cups, 1987 and 1992.

However, More said that his role as an interim director (cricket) is not all rosy. "It's my role to set up cricket for the USA team – the Under-19 senior cricket, women's cricket. I have to organise all cricket for them. Recently, they have qualified for ODI status. They are keen to do well in the ICC T20 World Cup Qualifiers in Dubai in October-November 2019," said More.

Before that, USA have to play in the America Regional finals in August in Bermuda.

Asked how it all happened, More said: "They must have heard about me and then called me and asked if I was interested. I said 'yes'. It is a big challenge. Not easy. The challenge is to go through their development programme. But they have great potential," More said.

"I went there for four days initially last month and saw some matches. They have got good talent, some serious good talent. They just need an organised structure and coaching pattern.

"I will be going again this month for a camp starting on July 22 in Los Angeles. They have appointed some coaches in Amre, Joshi, Saker, Pamment. Will get to know more about their cricket and talent then," he added.

A variety of people show interest in cricket there. "Youngster and grown ups, a lot of them are very keen to do well."

More did not want to be drawn into the recent issues of the USA cricket body being expelled by ICC in 2017 and later welcomed back into the ICC fold. Nor did he have an idea why coach until recently, former Sri Lanka international Pubudu Dassanayake, quit his post as head coach.

'One bad day cost us'

Though his focus is on his new role with USA Cricket, Kiran More did watch the ICC Cricket World Cup, from which India exited in the semifinal. More was part of the Indian team in the 1987 World Cup that also exited in the last four stage. He said: "They (Virat Kohli & Co.) played good overall except for that one hour of bad cricket (against New Zealand in the semifinal). Every team has some issue or the other. India has issues with middle-order. So did Australia for a while. It was just one bad day for India," he said. "Just like the one bad day we had in 1987 World Cup. We were favourites to win that World Cup, played very well throughout until losing to England in the semis with Graham Gooch sweeping us out of the tournament. It was a shock exit to us. Of course, this Indian team has a lot to improve, a lot to think about when you go to the next World Cup in 2023."