JOIN USWhen minnows Jammu and Kashmir made history, beating Mumbai, the most successful team in Indian domestic cricket, by four wickets in a Group A Ranji Trophy match on Wednesday, a Karnataka touch was quite unmistakable at the Wankhede stadium.
Sunil Joshi, the former India and Karnataka left-arm spinner, masterminded Mumbai’s downfall as Jammu and Kashmir’s coach. It was, perhaps, the biggest win yet in his coaching career, and Joshi was elated.
“It is a great victory against 40-time champions Mumbai. We did score an outright win and not just an innings lead. So, that makes this win all the more special. The credit goes for the whole team for sticking together. Shubham Khajuria is a fine talent, who got a hundred in the first innings, and fifty in the second innings.
Ramdayal got a five-wicket haul, Umar Nazir and Samiulla Baigh, the fast bowlers, and Wazeem aza, the left-arm spinner, all have been brilliant in this match. As a coach, you cannot ask for a better all-round performance,” Joshi told Deccan Herald from Mumbai.
Joshi said a win over Delhi in the North Zone one-dayers ahead of the Ranji Trophy boosted the team’s morale. “We had a one-week camp in Srinagar before the Zonal one-dayers were announced in Himachal. Then we thought of having a camp in Mohali because the weather condition in Mohali is very similar.
We started off well in the tournament, beating champions Delhi in the first game. It made us confident and gave us belief that we can compete against the big teams.”
Sterner tests beckon J&K as soon they would be facing defending champions Karnataka and some other bigger teams like Tamil Nadu and Bengal.
Joshi said his side was all set for those challenges. “Now, we are looking at one game at a time. We have players who can deliver at this stage, as you have seen in our win against Mumbai. But yes, we are a much more confident unit now and ready for challenges.”
On taking up the coaching role of J&K, who have limited resources, Joshi said: “I have taken up this because this a good personal challenge for me, moving from the familiar conditions in South to up North. I saw a lot of potential here, especially fast bowlers. So it’s exciting to work with them.”
DH News Service