Sanjay Manjrekar on struggling Mumbai Ranji team: This is not a crisis

Mumbai's Shivam Dube is clean bowled by Baroda's India pacer Hardik Pandya during their Ranji Trophy game at Wankhede Stadium last December. Pic/Atul Kamble

The flow of Mumbai cricket's woes has been fast and furious this season, eventuating in a rare failure of not qualifying for the Ranji Trophy knockout stage. That is not surprising considering Mumbai could notch up only a solitary outright win across eight games in a season that saw the participation of 25 players, including eight debutants.

For a city that enjoys an enviable batting legacy, Mumbai could gain the first innings lead only twice this season. The sheer number-crunching points to a cricketing edifice in shambles. Not in former captain Sanjay Manjrekar's book. "You've got to look at the whole thing in a more mature fashion," he told mid-day yesterday. He was recently invited by the Mumbai Cricket Association's Cricket Improvement Committee [CIC] and Manjrekar put things in perspective without getting into what kind of inputs he provided.

Mumbai skipper Siddhesh Lad and Coach Vinayak Samant

"Mumbai have won four times in the last 10 seasons. Plus, they have qualified for the final once in those years - not a bad record for any team, so it is not a situation of crisis. Mumbai cricket must understand that they can't go back to their former glory of winning every title that comes along. Indian cricket's landscape is changing and Mumbai cannot be as dominant as they used to be. A lot of good cricketers are emerging from all corners of India and there are competitive teams. That reality has to be acknowledged. Having said that, there is nothing to stop Mumbai from being at their best," he remarked.

Sanjay Manjrekar

What a plan!
Manjrekar's views can be treated as an important segment of a blueprint for Mumbai cricket to move forward. His thoughts are divided into short-term and long-term gains: "For short-term gains, I think they [MCA] have got to look at addressing the leadership and coaching [aspect]. If they feel these [captain Siddhesh Lad and coach Vinayak Samant] are the right guys then the onus should be completely on them. At this level, a captain is not looking to just win matches. He is there to establish a culture - team culture, winning culture... the whole team should be focussed in one direction. The biggest secret behind Mumbai cricket's success has been leadership and the coach - two people working together, two people at the helm, responsible for the team to look really good like when Ravi Shastri was in charge [in 1993-94] when the stars were missing, or when I was in charge."

Way back then
Manjrekar led Mumbai to a Ranji Trophy triumph in 1996-97. Several in the core group of that team took their first steps to domestic stardom under the leadership of Shastri in 1993-94, the season in which Mumbai broke their eight-season Ranji Trophy drought. "When I took over [as captain], I remember the team were completely mesmerised by Ravi. He had a big influence on that team. Players like Sameer Dighe and Sairaj Bahutule hadn't played for India then. Ravi managed to get the team together and lead from the front," Manjrekar recalled.
Tomorrow: Sanjay Manjrekar's long-term recommendations

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