New Delhi: The Kathiawar region of Gujarat, now Saurashtra, has long been associated with cricketing royalty as the home of batsman Maharaja Ranjitsinhji, or Ranji. Today, the Saurashtra cricket team is carrying forward the legacy, having won an unprecedented number of victories over the years, including two Ranji Trophies in three seasons. So, what’s behind this growth?
If you ask right-handed batsman Arpit Vasavada, who is the ‘Player of the Season’ in this year’s Ranji Trophy, the team’s self-belief and collective strength are the driving forces behind its success.
He pointed to the fact that the team has won crucial games despite the absence of some key players.
For the Ranji Trophy, two Saurashtrian stars – all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and batsman Cheteshwar Pujara – were playing in the India–Australia Test series. In addition, Vasavada led Saurashtra when captain Jaydev Unadkat called up India during the same series.
“It shows how confident we are as a unit that we can do without the big guns,” Vasavada told ThePrint.
He is justifiably proud of the team’s achievements. Saurashtra XI is performing brilliantly in this domestic season. On 2 December 2022, the team captured the Vijay Hazare Trophy after a gap of 14 years, defeating Maharashtra in the final.
Then, on 19 February this year, the team defeated West Bengal at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata to lift the Ranji Trophy – a repeat of its performance in 2019-20, when it won the trophy against Bengal in Rajkot.
Here’s a look at some of the factors that have made the Saurashtra team such a force to be reckoned with in the domestic circuit.
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,Number 11 is also a batsman’, Kotak Factor
Some of the Saurashtra team’s success can be attributed to the fact that their no. The 11th player is a batsman, and they have a strong middle order.
“The USP of our team is that even our no. 11 players is one batsman,” said Vasavada. “You give Chetan Sakaria no. 5 or not. 7 and he will score runs for the team. Even though he is a left-arm medium pacer, you can count on him (for runs as well).”
This is borne out by the efficiency displayed with the bat by the bowler Sakariya. For example, when a native of Bhavnagar gets a no. 7 During the Ranji semi-final against Karnataka, he hit three sixes in a 62-run stand with Vasavada.
In the 2019-20 Ranji season as well, Sakariya came out to bat at number 4. Scored 5 and 45 in the semi-final against Gujarat.
In fact, the middle-order’s work is the real backbone for the team, with wicketkeeper-batsman Sheldon Jackson and all-rounder Chirag Jani, and Prerak Mankad serving as run-machines for Saurashtra.
Jani told ThePrint, “You can say that most of the players are all-rounders. “On paper, can be a bowler, but when the team needs him, he can score runs.”
According to many players, the credit for the team’s batting prowess goes to former coach Sitanshu Kotak.
A legendary cricketer who played 130 first-class matches for Saurashtra, Kotak signed on as the coach of the team in 2014. He remained as the coach of Saurashtra till last year, and is currently the coach of the India A-team.
Vasavada said that Kotak had “prepared the basics” of what the team is about today. “He instilled a will to win and confidence among the players,” he added.
Notably, when Sitanshu Kotak began his tenure as the coach of Saurashtra in 2014, the team was not at its peak. In the 2015 Ranji season, in fact, Saurashtra were relegated to ‘Group C’.
But within a year, in 2016, the team was promoted to the elite group.
One reason for this is that Kotak started working on tail-enders, Vasavada explained.
“He believed in preparing fast bowlers for the bat, because in our Indian tracks, in Tests, after a few overs they can’t contribute as much as spinners can,” he said. So, to utilize his talent, Kotak worked on his batting skills as well,” said Vasavada.
Current Saurashtra coach Neeraj Odedara agrees that Kotak played an invaluable role.
“He worked closely with the players to improve their game. I was his assistant coach then,” he said.
‘Belief’ in ability, age is no bar
Placing “faith” in the “potential”, not prioritizing age and creating an atmosphere of security, instilled players’ confidence and improved performances, according to Jaydev Shah, under whose captaincy Saurashtra reached their first ever Ranji final. Time. He is currently the President of the Saurashtra Cricket Association.
“The key to our success is to keep faith in our players till they perform well for the team. We believe in player potential and do not change the team frequently,” said Shah.
An example of “faith” paying off, Shah said, was in the case of Sheldon Jackson. “I remember when I was captain, Sheldon Jackson had to sit on the sidelines for six years. But we never lost faith in him. He was in the team and when he got his chance, you see the results. Today he is the most dependable He is a middle order batsman.
Shah also said that when players reach a certain age, it is important not to ignore them.
He said, ‘It is not that a 30-year-old player cannot play T20 or ODI. We believe in giving opportunities and converting potential into real talent. Thus, it helps in creating a safe environment and then everyone performs well,” he added.
Vasavada said that current skipper Jaydev Unadkat has also carried forward the tradition of reposing faith in players and seeing them succeed.
“Unadkat did a wonderful job as captain for our team. I remember, during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy last year, I was batting at No.4. 5 or not. 6 in about four-five matches and suddenly, Jaydev asked me to open against Chandigarh. I was quite shocked, but I went ahead. In that match, I scored 70 runs as an opener. That’s why he has so much faith in his players.
He said that Unadkat not only worked closely with the talents of the team but also acknowledged their efforts and helped them reach greater heights.
“Unadkat takes decisions based on his instincts. He encourages tail-enders like Chetan to bat at No.4 as well. 5 or 7. He sets the players’ mindset well for crisis situations. The most important thing is that he does not forget the contribution of each and every player in the game.
Part of it, he said, is creating a positive rather than stressful culture for the team. “He keeps the environment very friendly, makes us relax and celebrate. It creates memories and also helps in building team trust among each other.
faith as a superpower
The winning streak of the Saurashtra team is full of milestones. In a group-stage Ranji match against Delhi this season, Unadkat became the only player in the trophy’s 88-year history to take a first-over hat-trick. In another record, Vasavada became the only player after Dinesh Karthik to score a century in a Ranji semi-final and final.
In the Vijay Hazare Trophy, middle-order batsman Sheldon Jackson received the player of the match award with 133 runs (not out), and all-rounder Chirag Jani got a hat-trick for the team in the final against Maharashtra. These performances reflect the fearless character that the team has developed.
Several players ThePrint spoke to cited the team’s self-confidence as its biggest strength.
“We play more fearlessly, we are more disciplined, more confident too – both inside and outside the dressing room,” he added.
According to Vasavada, one of the greatest moments for the team was the win against the Mumbai team, a traditional Ranji powerhouse that has accumulated 41 titles over the years.
“We didn’t have any Pujara or Jadeja as they were playing the Test series against Australia. Even Jaydev Bhai could not play some important matches. In the absence of all these legends of Saurashtra, we won by 48 runs against Mumbai in Mumbai! They said. Let me tell you that no Saurashtra team has done this against Mumbai in Mumbai.
In particular, Jadeja and Pujara earned praise for the Indian team in the Border-Gavaskar series. While Pujara completed his centuryth Test match in the series, Jadeja was declared player of the match in the second test.
Right set-up, big ambitions
According to team coach Neeraj Odedara, good infrastructure and support is an essential part of the Saurashtra team’s performance formula.
Speaking to ThePrint over phone from Bermuda, where he is coaching the island national team during the off-season, he said: “The team’s performance has also improved because of better infrastructure. We have around 25 nets in the stadium where players can come and practice anytime. There is a lot of support.
On his efforts, he said: “I worked hard especially for Saurashtra’s white-ball game and the results are in front of you. We have won the Vijay Hazare Trophy after 14 years.
With regards to limited overs tournaments, the team has set its sights on securing the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Currently, Jaydev Unadkat and Samarth Vyas are preparing to play for Lucknow Supergiants and Sunrisers Hyderabad respectively for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League.
Odedra has bigger ambitions going forward: “I want to see Saurashtra dominate the white-ball tournaments now as well.”
(Edited by Asawari Singh)
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