Mumbai will open their campaign against Jammu and Kashmir in a Group A encounter in Ranji Trophy 2014-15 season starting Sunday. This will be the first-ever meeting between the two teams in 80 years of the tournament.
Mumbai captain Surya Kumar Yadav said: “We are playing the first match of the season at home and I think it will be an advantage. We are not thinking about who is playing against us.”
“J&K are a good team. They have played good cricket last year. We are going in with our strengths,” he added.
Speaking about the game ahead, J&K coach Sunil Joshi said, “The players are excited about playing in Mumbai against Mumbai. We have done well in the one-dayers so the same momentum can be carried forward. We are here to play good cricket. Any notable performance here will carry the players for a long time.”
Mumbai will be without injured opener Kaustubh Pawar. The batsman has been replaced by Praful Waghela in the squad. Discussing the team’s options for opening Yadav said, “We have Praful Wagehla, Kevin Almeida and Bravish Shetty.”
Asked about the likelihood of Wasim Jaffer opening, Yadav explained, “Wasim Jaffer is an experienced player but the team management and everyone has decided that he will bat at No 3. He is a senior player so the youngsters will bat around him,” while adding, “Everyone looks up to him and learns from him.”
Asked if the team’s depended too much on the former Mumbai captain, Yadav observed, “We have seen in the past that if he hasn’t got runs someone else has put up their bat and did the job for us. Everyone knows their responsibility.”
While speaking about the J&K side, Joshi mentioned: “Mixture of youth and experience is our strength. Hopefully we will see what they can do.”
“I want them to go out and enjoy their game. They have done really well last season. They have played good cricket and I want them to continue doing so.”
Speaking about Parvez Rasool, he said: “I have been spending good time with him and have shared a few good things about what he has to do at this level. I am glad that he has made it to World Cup probables.”
