499 & counting: Mumbai’s epic journey
LANDMARK GAME How the city’s unique cricket culture has helped it dominate the Ranji Trophy scene
MUMBAI: Sachin Tendulkar may have read the body language of international rivals in an illustrious career, but he had to be extra vigilant to pick the tactics in a vital Ranji Trophy match to upstage Tamil Nadu.
Speaking at a function on the eve of Mumbai’s landmark 500th Ranji match, the city’s cricket icons regaled the audience, explaining what it took to preserve the reputation as neversay-die (khadoos) cricketers.
Tendulkar picked the Ranji semis of 1999-2000 against Tamil Nadu, when he scored a double century with the No 11 batsman for company. He got Mumbai the first innings lead and they eventually won by eight wickets to enter the final.
At one point, a ball change led to it reversing, and Tendulkar stood outside the crease to negate it. “I started to stand outside the crease. Hemang Badani would tell the bowler from point in Tamil that I was standing outside. I then went into the crease when the bowler started his run-up. After the match I told Hemang that I understand Tamil,” he said.
Tendulkar also recalled the 1988 Ranji season, which he spent in the Mumbai dressing room as a 14-year-old. He didn’t get to play, but it helped him rapidly mature as a cricketer.
“I was selected at the age of 14 to go to Baroda. We travelled by train. My room partner was Suru Nayak. It was appropriately selected for me to make sure I slept on time and all that sort of things.
“All in all, the experience was overwhelming and, as time went by, with all these greats of Indian cricket, I started feeling at home. .. After that I was never out of place after that.”
Former India skipper Dilip Vengsarkar spoke about a sensational Ranji Trophy final for Mumbai in the 1990-91, which they lost to Kapil Dev’s Haryana, who won their only title.
Mumbai were three down by lunch chasing a target of 355, and Vengsarkar was preparing to go out to bat. “We had lost our top three batsmen by lunch time and were chasing 355.
“In the old Wankhede Stadium dressing rooms we used to have common toilets. I was padded up and went to the toilet before heading to the pitch. I met Kapil Dev there, who came to me and said: ‘Dilip let us win one time.’”
Mumbai were dismissed for 352 in the end to lose by two runs. Vengsarkar, unbeaten on 139 after one of the great Ranji innings, was reduced to tears.