Ranji Trophy: Far from home, Assam’s moment in the sun
A day before the Ranji Trophy semi-final, the broadcasting team was busy dragging cables, adjusting cameras and running last-minute checks at the IPLC stadium. Amused by the activity beyond the boundary rope, the Assam boys threw knowing glances at each other and smiled. When you are domestic cricket’s also-rans for years, you enjoy the attention, rather crave for it. Those days of obscurity seems to be over as Assam, playing Saurashtra, get their first game that will be live on television.
Away from the spotlight, Assam have been scripting an against-the-odds heartening tale. They have excelled in a format that they are not used to playing. The state with no real cricket culture doesn’t have a league structure. With no big star to emerge for the region, role models too are in short supply. Pacer Abu Neichem, an under-19 World Cupper once and now an IPL regular, is the only nationally-recognised star in Assam. In a twist of fate, Neichem wouldn’t be there for Assam’s big day as he is injured. There was a time when Assam would hire aging domestic stars, hoping that they would bring to the team much-needed experience and guile. The ploy clearly didn’t work. Assam, for years, have made the basement on the league table their home. Their quantum leap to the top has coincided with the north-east state showing confidence in their home-grown players.
Coach Sanath Kumar, who was once with Baroda and Karnataka Ranji teams, isn’t getting carried away by his team’s unexpected success, nor is he dreaming of a fairy-tale end to the season. He acknowledges the expectations and the excitement within the team and the cricket fans back home.
Sanath credits the serious pre-season preparation for the sudden spike. Unlike in the past, the team under Sanath traveled outside the state during monsoon. Assam was serious about doing well and the results are showing. Not just the pre-season itinerary, a lot had changed around the new-look Assam team. Sanath isn’t an old-school disciplinarian and that shows in Assam’s new team culture. “Before I took charge, music wasn’t allowed. Yeh kya hai bhai?,” says Sanath recalling his initial reaction when encountered with the unusual silence of the dressing room. “I told them to play the music once you are back in the dressing room. We have a Whatsapp group, where we discuss random things, be it music, anything…” he adds.
The subject that will be on the top of the mind of the team will be Saurashtra. Since the time Saurashtra cricketers started making it to the national team, the team has built a reputation around it. Though they were relegated last year, they came back strongly. Ravindra Jadeja’s 38 wickets in the first four games of the season resulted in the team making it to the semis. Jadeja, though, isn’t around as he is busy with the T20 series.
The team from West Zone has had enough match-winners. Cheteshwar Pujara continues to be the batting mainstay. The bowling department, has the other international, Jaydev Unadkat, who landed here after a match-winning effort in quarter-final.
Coach Sitanshu Kotak, like Sanath, too stressed about the Day 1 of the semi-final. He isn’t one for long team meeting. “Let them go for movies. They all know it will be important game for them but we want to take it like any other game. If you think too much, it affects your performance,” Kotak stated.
