One among the many reasons that help a sport catch the imagination of the masses is a fairytale end to an underdog’s campaign. Vidarbha’s progression in this year’s Ranji Trophy has done just that.
This spirited team has finally managed to shrug off the tag of being an eternal underdog. Suddenly, the cricket-loving nation is curious to know about the men behind this epoch-making performance.
This has been made possible by some tireless work backstage by coach Chandrakant Pandit who knows only too well what it takes to hold the trophy. After all, he has been part of the trophy-winning Mumbai team five times and now for the seventh time, as a coach.
Reflecting on what led to the historic-triumph, Pandit said, “We have been following our routine and that’s the best part we’ve done. All credit goes to the players as they have put in the hard work. I am very happy with the way they have respected me, and the players have never ignored the system we have followed. That’s a fantastic thing.”
The champion side, which ensured the winner’s share of Rs. two crore, were set to receive another Rs. three crore from the Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA).
Emphasising that the team deserved it, the tough task-master said, “they were waiting for this particular day. Each and every player, the captain must be excited to celebrate and they should. There is no restriction. They can do whatever they want. They have worked hard.”
For the articulate skipper Faiz Fazal, the moment of winning the Ranji Trophy was hard to explain. “This feeling can’t be described. As a cricketer, we always dream of winning Ranji Trophy. It is the biggest thing in our career. It happened today, and I am happy. For now, we are on seventh heaven. But again, we have to be down to earth and start our work tomorrow (ahead of the upcoming Mushtaq Ali Trophy matches).
“If you want to achieve something, you will have to work hard. You will have to go through all the process — be it discipline or other things. Chandu Sir is a tough cookie to crumble. After working hard for that many hours and that many months, we can see the result now.”
On his part, Delhi’s gentle coach K. P. Bhaskar gave all credit to Vidarbha for its display in the final. Reflecting on the team’s strategy on this day, he said, “Our plan was to bat good enough to leave Vidarbha, with say, a 150-200 runs target in about 50 overs. But that was not to be.”
