After their initial loss to Jammu and Kashmir at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai have turned things around and are occupying the second position in the Group A table. Returning home, the Suryakumar Yadav-led side will now take on Madhya Pradesh in the fifth round of the Ranji Trophy 2014-15 in their quest to the title.
Speaking about the opposition, the Mumbai captain said, “They are good side. We have played with them in their home in the last two years on bowling friendly wickets. This also looks like a good track, a sporting wicket. We are focusing on our strengths rather than taking on their weaknesses.”
MP too is looking forward to a good contest. While speaking to the media after training, captain Devendra Bundela said, “We are prepared. We will play good cricket. We are positive. It will be a good game” while speaking about the upcoming game. “Mumbai is a good side. We will play positive cricket and we are concentrating on playing as hard as we can.”
Mumbai has found their footing before returning to their home ground. Asked if he was pleasantly happy about the team’s progress, Yadav said, “I wouldn’t say I am (completely) happy yet because we have not yet qualified (for the next level). After qualifying we will see what happens. However, I am happy with the performance of few guys. They have been working hard and getting results in the field so it’s a good sign for me. It means they are taking responsibility and doing the job; easing the pressure off each and everyone, not only the players but the coach as well.”
Elaborating on what has helped the side, Yadav reflected, “On the first day I said, each and every individual should know and take their responsibility well. They should know their role in the team, what they are picked for. Now I can see that everyone is doing their job well and they know what to do on the field and how to take the game on.”
Shardul Thakur has been the key to Mumbai’s success. The pacer is the topping the list of leading wicket-takers in the ongoing season with 26 wickets. Speaking about the bowler’s progress, Yadav observed, “He has improved. ‘Lot’ is still a small word....I can’t even express (how much he has evolved). I have seen him since I was 17-18 years old. He has been achieving great heights but this is something different. I am seeing the process he has been following on and off the field. He has been doing everything perfectly and we can see the results.”
He added that he has improved in terms of skill and consistency as well. “Two three years ago, he was a bit wayward I feel. But now he has come back on track and he is bowling well. Everything seems to look great,” he mentioned.
Mumbai was already missing Wasim Jaffer due to injury and they will be going into the match against MP without Abhishek Nayar who too has been ruled out due to injury. “Nayar makes the morale high on the field and in the dressing room but it is part of the game. Someone has to fill, we will see who takes up his job,” Yadav said.
The team’s batting though has been strengthened by the inclusion of Shreyas Iyer who set up the game against Bengal with a solid 153.Complementing the youngster, Yadav said, “It was a big hundred and the way, he batted the way he expressed himself was a bit surprising for me because he is playing in the first season and expressing so fearlessly is a great thing for Mumbai cricket. It is a good thing for the team and for himself.”
“Siddesh Lad coming at No.6 and then Sarfarz Khan also there it is a good stable batting order. Since the first game till date we were worried about the batting order now we fell we are comfortable and stable,” he added.
Opening the batting is also no longer a concern he added while explaining, “In the last game I saw they give the team a stable start. Akhil Herwadkar is a pure opener, Tare has got lot of runs opening so we gave him that opportunity to open and he did the job. He played out the first session. Played over hundred balls so we are now comfortable with the batting order and we will go with the same.”
While Mumbai have worked out their batting line-up, the visitors will be without their key bowler, Ishwar Pandey who has been ruled out due to injury. But the veteran MP captain said that although the fast bowler will be missed, they have good new talent. “He is our main bowler but it is part of the game and you have to carry on.”
Asked if they derive confidence from J&K’s victory here, he said, “Yes, it is there on our minds that they did well here and anything can happen. If we play positive cricket it will be a different side.”
Asked about his side’s strengths, Bundela said, “Our strength has always been fast bowlers. They are little inexperienced. They are in the process of learning.”
Discussing the team’s batting and their collapse against Uttar Pradesh he said, “It was a phase of half hour or so if we had handled that well it would have been better. But that happens. Their bowling was good but after the lead we had to lose was a bit disappointing. We have learnt from that.”
