When it comes to the ‘quirkiness quotient’ in first-class cricket, the Ranji Trophy 2016 semifinal face-off between Mumbai and Madhya Pradesh in faraway Cuttack may take some beating.
Chandrakant Pandit is the coach of Mumbai. Madhya Pradesh is led by Devendra Bundela, a 38-year-old journeyman who made his Ranji debut under the former MP captain-coach in the 1995-96 season. Naman Ojha, the face of cricket in MP, also started his career 15 years ago under Pandit, who was skipper when Harvinder Singh, MP’s current Ranji coach, was a playing member.
Mumbai clashed with the Central Zone rivals once earlier this season, in Indore. The former won that thriller by just three wickets. Pandit and Bundela were amazed by the peculiarity of it all. Bundela, whose team buried Bengal under an avalanche of runs in the quarterfinal, praised Pandit for drilling into him the “basic aspects” of the game. The latter applauded the professional attitude of the Madhya Pradesh outfit.
The MP captain said: “I remember watching Chandu Sir closely as he captained the side. His contribution to my cricket is immense. I am looking forward to playing a strong Mumbai side coached by him.”
Former India Test wicketkeeper Pandit, whose side crushed Jharkhand to ease into the semifinal, responded: “I know so many of them because I played and coached there for a few seasons. I am sure it will be a good match.”
The match will be played at the DRIEMS Ground in Tangi, a suburb of Cuttack. “The wicket there is seamer-friendly,” Bundela said, matter-of-factly. And all of a sudden, his eyes lit up. “I am confident our pacers can put Mumbai in trouble. I believe our pace attack, comprising Ishwar Pandey, Puneet Datey and Chandrakant Sakure, is stronger than Mumbai’s,” he added.
Bundela was part of the Pandit-led side which lost to Mumbai in the Ranji semifinal two decades ago. He knows what it takes to challenge Mumbai. “There is something about them. But we know we can beat them. We will have to get (Akhil) Herwadkar and (Shreyas) Iyer early. That’s the only way we can put them under pressure,” he added.
That will take some doing. And Bundela knows it.
