The BCCI deserves kudos for ensuring that the international players participated in the Ranji finals and gave it an added sheen. There were some murmurs that by playing in the Ranji finals, the international players were exposing themselves to the risk of injury and thus harming India’s chances in the World Cup, but if that was the case then why should they be playing in the one-dayers against Sri Lanka, where also there’s a chance of injury, or for that matter, be in the nets where also there is a chance of injury, or have fielding practice where they could get injured, or why should they drive a car or cross a road and climb a staircase, or for that matter why should they get out of bed in case they pull a muscle doing so? That there were people, who actually thought in that manner, is a sad reflection of the lack of knowledge and common sense of those people.
Dilip Vengsarkar has played in a few finals himself and he knew that playing in one is not an everyday affair and realized the importance of it, and so was quite firm in insisting that all the international players should play. By doing so, he showed that he was aware that there is a difference between the interests of Indian cricket and the interests of the Indian cricket team. And the one sure way that Indian cricket team will get better, is by raising the standard of Indian cricket and that can happen when the Indian international players play in domestic competitions. He was there to witness the game on all four days of the finals and he certainly would have seen some players he would not have seen before and seen them perform in the intense pressure that a Mumbai crowd brings and that too in the Ranji finals. How many of his selectorial colleagues made the effort to stay all the days and how many just came for the selection meeting and left immediately? For that matter, the coach who was in town didn’t even bother to come and see the game and that too even on the day of the meeting where all he had to do was to walk a bit to get to the ground.
The skipper Rahul Dravid did drop in and see the game, so why was it hard for the coach to do so? After all if he is interested in Indian cricket, he should have come and seen some of the players who he had a role in not being included in the 30 probables for the World Cup. Would the coach be able to tell between Rohit Sharma, Ishant Sharma and Joginder Sharma, if they walked past him? So why have someone who is not keen on seeing Domestic cricket be a part of the Selection Committee? And now you understand why someone gets dropped after just one chance and why someone comes back with hardly any performance to their credit?
If anything, the participation by Tendulkar, Ganguly, Zaheer and Agarkar, not only lifted the standard of the game but also gave it the luster that the final of the National Championship deserves. It turned out to be a good final after Bengal’s spirited response in the second innings and tested Mumbai all the way as they claimed the Ranji Trophy for the 37th time. Bengal can be proud of the way they clawed back in the game after conceding such a big lead in the first innings and by doing so they have erased to a great extent the label of “pachkoos” that Mumbai had given them for the way they used to crumble against them in the past.
Ranadeb Bose and Manoj Tiwary have shown that they can go all the way if given the chances that the team favorites are given and play a crucial role for India over the next few years. What is the use of performing in Ranji Trophy if there is not going to be encouragement by being selected for the probables even if it is not in the final squad? If only under-19 performances are important then abolish all Ranji and Duleep trophy games and have tourneys only for under-19 and no body over that age should be considered to make a debut for India. The Ranji triumph would be some compensation for Amol Muzumdar who has been singularly unfortunate in not getting the India cap. Just have a look at some who have got the Test cap and compare their performances in the domestic competitions to Muzumdar’s and you will see how unlucky he is. There is also Sharath from Tamil Nadu who has scored runs by the ton and still not got anywhere near in India call up.
To his and Amol’s credit they have continued giving off their best in Ranji and domestic cricket and added to the competitiveness of the game and helping, thereby to raise the standard of competition for the others playing. Let it be clear that it is not just the Indian Internationals who make Indian cricket, But those others who may never get the cap but who by their presence lift the game, who also contribute immensely to Indian cricket.
In the past there were those two magnificent spinners Goel and Shivalkar and now it is Muzumdar and Sharath, to name just a couple. Well done guys and well done BCCI for giving Ranji finals the importance it deserves.
