Can't take place in team for granted, says Mumbai centurion Herwadkar

Akhil Herwadkar

It's just impossible to take your place for granted in this Mumbai team, said comeback man Akhil Herwadkar, who struck an unbeaten 108 to hand Mumbai a seven wicket-win against Goa in the Vijay Hazare Trophy Elite group 'A' match in Bangalore yesterday.

Thanks to some disciplined bowling by pacer Dhawal Kulkarni (3-32), and Royston Dias, Shivam Dube and Shams Mulani, who claimed two wickets apiece, Mumbai bundled out Goa for a mere 186. In reply, Mumbai chased down the target in 35.3 overs. Herwadkar was not selected in the Mumbai squad for the first three games of this tournament, but as Ajinkya Rahane and Prithvi Shaw are in Rajkot on national duty, the opener got his chance and made it count.

"We have a very healthy competition in the Mumbai team and whoever gets a chance wants to grab it by scoring runs. Actually, this healthy competition is good as no one takes his place in the team for granted," Herwadkar told mid-day over the phone from Bangalore yesterday. "When you are out of the team, it is important to work doubly hard to make a strong comeback. It is quite tough to make a comeback especially for a team like Mumbai. I doubled my efforts and took things positively," said the left-handed batsman.

Herwadkar, who scored 32 against Punjab and 28 versus Himachal Pradesh last week, scored 11 boundaries and four sixes during his 112-ball stay at the crease. "It felt good to contribute to a winning cause. More than my century, what gave me more satisfaction was the fact that I remained unbeaten," said Herwadkar, 23. Mumbai have won all their six games and will take on Maharashtra in the last league match on Saturday.

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