After lifting the Ranji Trophy, Mumbai are gearing up to take on the Rest of India team in the Irani Cup. The Aditya Tare-led team trained at the Cricket Club of India under the watchful eye of coach Chandrakant Pandit and bowling coach Omkar Salvi.
Mumbai, who have dominated the circuit in the longest format of the game in the ongoing season, are keen to continue their winning streak when they take the field against the Naman Ojha-led team from 6th March.
Mumbai’s domination can be attributed to team efforts as was also pointed out by the captain and coach after the team lifted the Ranji Trophy. Besides Shreyas Iyer, who was the highest run-getter in the tournament this year, the team also has the likes of Akhil Herwadkar, Siddhesh Lad, Suryakumar Yadav, Shardul Thakur and Dhawal Kulkarni among others who have been integral to the team’s success.
While the coach appreciated the team’s performance, he also commended Tare’s efforts. “He has done well. He has been handling three jobs – behind the stumps (wicketkeeping), captaincy and batting, so naturally he has done a lot for the team. He has been performing well, especially behind the stumps he has done the job.
“What I have seen in the first match and till the last game, he has shown a lot of improvement in the technical aspects of wicketkeeping as well. It is not an easy job. Being a wicketkeeper, I know what it is like to be standing behind the stumps for 150 overs or so every match, and then to comeback and bat. And you have lots of thoughts in your mind to lead the team so that takes a lot as well,” the coach added.
With the entire lineup contributed to the team’s success they are further strengthened by the inclusion of young Jay Bista. The top-order bat, who played a vital role in Mumbai’s Col. CK Nayudu win against Madhya Pradesh in the final, will be high on confidence after his recent success and being recalled in to the senior side. The batsman, who amassed 1081 runs in the Under-23 tournament in seven matches earned high praise from the coach. “He deserved to get back into the team (Mumbai’s senior team). He scored a double century (in CK Nayudu final) and also he had got a hundred in the Ranji Trophy immediately after he was left out (in the previous game which shows his mettle). I think he deserved the chance to come back,” Pandit said.
While speaking about the opposition, he said, “Some of the guys have played against us, we know about them. We would be having certain plans and strategies. There are certain guys who we haven’t played against. We look at it in a different way. We have been playing for the entire season whileethis team has to gather together and play. But of course, each individual has his ability and we have to consider that and play the game.
“Irani Cup has always been taken very seriously because always you (a state team) are fighting against the Rest of India, (some of) the best players in India,” Pandit stated while stressing on the importance of the upcoming match.
Aware that Mumbai last won the Irani Cup and in 1997-98, the coach said that the team has talked about it earlier in the day. “We take this game seriously. Boys at this age will definitely be aware of that and they will take it seriously. Not only that, the national selectors are also going to watch. This is another opportunity.”
In the battle for the Cup, players from both the teams will be looking to showcase their skills on the platform afforded by the game. Speaking about the significance it holds for a player who is striving to make it to the next level, Pandit elaborated, “Irani Cup is important because every individual player from both teams is going to fight for his place. He wants to perform and give his best. There are players who have been performing in the Ranji Trophy, (who) probably have not got the opportunity to show that in front of the people, but now they have the opportunity once again to display their skills.”
