As much as they are renowned for sledging, all successful cricket teams are known for their ability to not droop their shoulders when it’s not going their way. However Mumbai, the most successful team in domestic cricket, has modified sledging to its advantage.
Since Chandrakant Pandit, one of the shrewdest brains in the game, took over as head coach last year, the team has been appointing a cheer-captain to ensure that the morale of the team remains high throughout the many long days in the field, just like their 160-over toil against Madhya Pradesh on a flat track at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Stadium in Raipur over the last two days.
While the last season, which fetched Mumbai its 41st Ranji Trophy title, saw Pandit appointing cheer-captains by rotation, the first three games of this season have seen the maverick Suryakumar Yadav handling the task of lifting the spirit of his team-mates and, at times, frustrating the opposition.
“Everyone has been assigned different responsibilities all through the season – on and off the field. It helps in keeping the team together; to have unity within the team,” says Pandit
Pandit learnt the trade from the late Ashok Mankad, known for his tactical masterstrokes, during his formative years with the Mafatlal team in local cricket. During Pandit’s first three-year stint with Mumbai from 2002, the gutsy Amol Muzumdar used to play the cheer-captain’s role. “He had his own unique way of lifting the team’s sprits,” recalls Pandit.
“ Mankad gave me the responsibility to do it at the young age of 19. Similarly, I am trying to pass it on to the younger generation. Their attitude is a little differentbut I am happy that the boys have taken it up and they are happily implementing it,” Pandit signs off.
