Anil Deshpande credits selectors for win

Deshpande, who represented Vidarbha in 62 first-class games, highlighted the fact that Vidarbha's age group teams have improved over the years

While Vidarbha were celebrating their second Ranji Trophy title in Nagpur yesterday, one man in Mumbai was busy accepting congratulatory phone calls - former Vidarbha captain and ex-national selector Anil Deshpande.

Mumbai-based Deshpande credited his team's triumph to Vidarbha's chief selector Sunil Hedaoo and his team, Vidarbha Cricket Association's (VCA) management and of course, the players and coach Chandrakant Pandit.

"Wasim Jaffer and Ganesh Satish are guest players, but Vidarbha's homegrown players too stepped up. Credit must also be given to Hedaoo and his co-selectors Jayanti Rathod and Aniruddha Kane. They picked boys not only from Nagpur but from other smaller regions too and later Chandu [Pandit] fine-tuned them. These selectors did a very good job," Deshpande told mid-day yesterday.

Deshpande, who represented Vidarbha in 62 first-class games, highlighted the fact that Vidarbha's age group teams have improved over the years. He said: "Credit to the VCA management as well. They have spread the game to every district of the region. Monetary help was granted to prepare turf pitches, coaches and all necessary facilities were provided. We are seeing success now, but the spade work started 10 years ago. Vidarbha's U-19 team entered the Cooch Behar Trophy final. The U-23 and U-14 players are also doing well."

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