At the point when vulnerability poses a potential threat over the eventual fate of the homegrown cricket season because of the continuous COVID-19 pandemic, former India batsman V.V.S. Laxman trusts that the state affiliations should give out contracts to first-class cricketers.&nbsp;

The COVID-19 pandemic has hit Indian top-of-the-line cricketers hard. Around 700 players the country over were affected as the pandemic constrained the cancellation of India's first-class cricket the Ranji Trophy.

“I have been telling this for a long time, that first-class cricketers should get contracts from their state associations keeping in mind that they are sacrificing everything and they are dedicating themselves to this game. It is very important that a contract is handed over because what happens to a player if he suddenly gets injured?" - he said in an interview with&nbsp;Sportstar.

"Suddenly there is no income for that player, and if that player doesn’t have a job, then how is he going to look after himself and his family? A contract system - like it is there for the international players - has to be there for the domestic players. It is very important. Especially in the current situation, I believe that it is mandatory and definitely the need of the hour. It is very critical to look after the domestic players’ well-being” - he added.

Sourav Ganguly assumed responsibility as BCCI president in 2019. He had recorded the agreement framework for homegrown players as one of the needs, yet nothing has appeared at this point. Supposedly, the state affiliations are anticipating an explanation on this issue from the BCCI.

Nonetheless, VVS Laxman clarified that relatively few players are fortunate on this front as cricket has progressed to be a pro game. He added:&nbsp;

“A compensation has to be made to these players. In the past, a lot of players used to have good jobs in a central or state government organization or private companies.

Unfortunately, now the jobs that the players are getting are very scarce. A lot of them have taken up cricket as a professional sport, it is no longer an amateur sport" - he said.

"The moment professionalism comes, it means they have to get paid, and unfortunately last year, because of the pandemic, some of them were not paid like they would if the entire season would have taken place,” added Laxman, who further stated that the players neither having IPL contracts nor playing for the national side are the worst hit" - he added 
&nbsp;

At the point when vulnerability poses a potential threat over the eventual fate of the homegrown cricket season because of the continuous COVID-19 pandemic, former India batsman V.

At the point when vulnerability poses a potential threat over the eventual fate of the homegrown cricket season because of the continuous COVID-19 pandemic, former India batsman V.V.S. Laxman trusts that the state affiliations should give out contracts to first-class cricketers. The COVID-19 pandemic has hit Indian top-of-the-line cricketers hard. Around 700 players the country over were affected as the pandemic constrained the cancellation of India's first-class cricket the Ranji Trophy. “I have been telling this for a long time, that first-class cricketers should get contracts from their state associations keeping in mind that they are sacrificing everything and they are dedicating themselves to this game. It is very important that a contract is handed over because what happens to a player if he suddenly gets injured?" - he said in an interview with Sportstar. "Suddenly there is no income for that player, and if that player doesn’t have a job, then how is he going to look after himself and his family? A contract system - like it is there for the international players - has to be there for the domestic players. It is very important. Especially in the current situation, I believe that it is mandatory and definitely the need of the hour. It is very critical to look after the domestic players’ well-being” - he added. Sourav Ganguly assumed responsibility as BCCI president in 2019. He had recorded the agreement framework for homegrown players as one of the needs, yet nothing has appeared at this point. Supposedly, the state affiliations are anticipating an explanation on this issue from the BCCI. Nonetheless, VVS Laxman clarified that relatively few players are fortunate on this front as cricket has progressed to be a pro game. He added: “A compensation has to be made to these players. In the past, a lot of players used to have good jobs in a central or state government organization or private companies. Unfortunately, now the jobs that the players are getting are very scarce. A lot of them have taken up cricket as a professional sport, it is no longer an amateur sport" - he said. "The moment professionalism comes, it means they have to get paid, and unfortunately last year, because of the pandemic, some of them were not paid like they would if the entire season would have taken place,” added Laxman, who further stated that the players neither having IPL contracts nor playing for the national side are the worst hit" - he added

Cricket: A contract system has to be there for the domestic players: VVS Laxman

Sreesanth is all set to make his comeback to the cricket field after a seven-year-break. The 37-year-old's aspiration to be back on the field was bolstered by Kerala coach Tinu Yohanan's words of motivation and the right-handed seamer is looking forward to hitting the ground running and help Kerala win trophies in the domestic circuit. With lofty goals and passion, Sreesanth is gearing up to bridge the lost gap while learning and sharing his experience with the young guns of Indian cricket.

In an exclusive chat with WION, Sreesanth opened up about life in lockdown, training phase, what goals he has set for himself, changing landscape of cricket, IPL 2020, Michael Jordan's mental conditioning coach Tim Grover, his ultimate Team India XI (present) and much more.

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&nbsp;

Subhayan Chakraborty: Thank you Sreesanth for your time, how did the lockdown phase go for you?

Sreesanth: It’s treating me well. I did say that people need to stick to their house to curb the spread and honestly, there are certain jobs which can be done from home. But imagine me, I have been in lockdown for close to seven years now. I missed the thing I love – play cricket. But thankfully, it is during the coronavirus pandemic that I got a green signal from Kerala Cricket Association so it has been a blessing in disguise.&nbsp;

I am spending a lot of time with my family. I love to read and write and I am reading a lot now, and trying to get my values right. I have been training in my home and I will be back again at the nets soon. But I urge people to stay indoors and as a wise man once said, ‘you have to win the war and small battles matter a lot’. I am not a wise man but I say that to be a national hero, stay indoors and if you really need to go out then take all the precautions. Don’t be lazy when it comes to hygiene.

I am writing something on whatever has happened in the last couple of months, I am writing on the lines of ‘loneliness is equal to geniuses’. The emphasis is on meditation and focus will be on ‘enjoy yourself during this time.’ Another thing I learned is painting and I am thinking of starting a YouTube channel.&nbsp;

SC: How has your body been responding to the resumption of practice and full-fledged training for cricket?&nbsp;

Sreesanth: God has been extremely kind. A 37-year-old is trying to make a comeback to international cricket. I think the break has been a blessing in disguise for my body as it helped me to freshen up my mind, I try to think positively. I did a couple of movies which helped remain in good shape but when it comes to cricket, the Celebrity Cricket League helped me be into cricket. I worked with Dilip Vengsarkar sir there. So being a bowling coach helped me a lot in keeping my fitness in check. I was 100-102 kgs before I went to Bigg Boss but with no food there, it helped me lose some weight (laughs). Ayurveda and Indian food has helped me keep my fitness intact and I would advise everyone to at least try it. It is miraculous.&nbsp;

For match fitness, yes, I have to play a lot and I am looking forward to it. I am fresh and raring to go. Some players who used to play with me have retired because they are mentally and physically tired but that is not the case for me as I haven’t played for the last seven years. So yes, I am there for the long run now.&nbsp;

<img alt="Sreesanth" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="762b8e60-d6b0-4833-955b-fa0fda66aa06" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_Del143706.jpg" />

SC: But let’s be honest here, playing one match is a different thing but playing an entire season is a different ball game. Do you think your body is ready to sustain that sort of pressure?

Sreesanth: Absolutely! When you are a youngster, an under-19 cricketer, you can afford to not sleep in time and eat healthily. But at my age, you have to be very particular about how you maintain your lifestyle. I am enjoying a healthy lifestyle now. In my opinion, it is all about mindset. I am not physically or mentally exhausted. After this long break, I am feeling like a youngster. I am not here for a season, I am here to sustain four or five seasons. My goal is to help Kerala win and help youngsters grow and then move to some of the smaller teams. I don’t want to hold onto a youngster’s position and rather would pass on my experience for them to learn from it.&nbsp; 
During this break, I have learned about different types of training, recovery training and all. So that will help me a lot. I am a positive person and Sreesanth was never a realistic person. I will defy all the odds again. And my message to all, don’t think about age, just lock on a target and work on that.&nbsp;

SC: Cricket has completely in these last seven years. Are you prepared to learn and grasp things from youngsters and be a better bowler?

Sreesanth: The way I look at this is that it will be a debut match for me. It is all about the experience. You have to accept that there are better players. Yes, I have to learn a lot about the changed rules. I didn’t know that there were two new white balls and I have no shame in accepting that. Thanks to Sachin Baby, Sanju Samson, Basil Thampi and others, they all have way more experience in the last seven years. They have played the IPL and know modern cricket. I have so many things to learn from them. I still have that out-swinger, I can still bowl toe-crushing yorkers. I still have that in-cutter from which I got Sachin paaji (Sachin Tendulkar) out in 2005.

But yes, I do accept that I have so many things to learn from the younger players. I am not worried about spit-ban, just bowl your heart out. If you have proper priorities, you won’t have any problem in life. I want to leave a legacy and set fresh benchmarks.

SC: Kerala’s performance wasn’t up to the mark but the pace attack with the likes of Basil Thampi, KM Asif looks pretty decent on paper and your addition could further bolster it. Do you look at it as competition for places?

Sreesanth: We have fast bowlers who could represent the country at any given day. I am not here to compete. Something I have written ‘everybody knows what they want to be but most of them don’t know what they want to become’. I exactly know who I want to be. I can never get my seven years back but I am so grateful that I got to learn so much thing about life. There is no ego now, there is no competition. I am here to help. I will be starting Sreesanth Sports Academy soon, and that will be a small contribution to help the youngsters from my side. I will help each and everyone to better than me and then only I can be better than them. And if I end up with good performances, then hopefully I will be back playing for the country.&nbsp;

<img alt="Sreesanth" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4729c061-8f6c-4685-bec9-184a46de0931" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_Del465036.jpg" />

SC: What about your aspirations for IPL?

Sreesanth: I will definitely put my name if my association allows. I think I am a good enough bowler and if any franchise contacts me before the auctions then I would love to be back in IPL. I have done decently in these last seven years. I have done movies, reality shows and I have continued to earn for my family. But I am not worrying about the results that is something I am preaching. Seven years is a long time for the season but for me, it was like a life sentence and I am ready to help and learn.&nbsp;

SC: How was your time learning from Michael Jordan’s mental conditioning coach Tim Grover?

Sreesanth: What he was teaching is being unapologetic. I learned a lot about how Michael Jordan created his legacy. Again coronavirus has been a blessing in disguise, otherwise, I wouldn’t have gotten the chance to learn from him. He is brute honest, something I learned from him. Being yourself, being your own competition is something which he taught me. That is what Tim Grover taught me but equally, Ramji Srinivasan has been a big help for me. He was the one who told me to run for 30 minutes or else I wouldn’t survive the physical intensity of the sport.&nbsp;

SC: A chat with Sreesanth is incomplete without that South Africa tour. Almost everyone knows about the Andre Nel incident but not many how Jacques Rudolph triggered you.&nbsp;

Sreesanth: Every day you learn. I have to thank Dada (Sourav Ganguly). Initially, I had no clue about how to bowl to left-handers. I just used to release the ball and hope that the batsman would get LBW or bowler. But it was Dada who told me ‘I know you struggle against left-handers so let’s practice’. So I used to bowl him in the nets. He helped me with the angle, release point and other technicalities. You know, when you bowl to the best, you become the best. When there are legends like Dada, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Gautam Gambhir are there in the dressing room and for that matter Murali Vijay, Dinesh Karthik have good technique.

<img alt="Sreesanth" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="130ffd56-a672-47db-8f0f-32b63b7efeb5" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_DV1020215.jpg" />

So I have to thank these people behind my success there. It was not easy to be part of that team but again I am thankful to them for making me learn so much. I know a lot of people laugh after I hit Andre Nel for that six but they don’t realise that he was saying all the wrong things about me and my country. I just wanted to tame him. And even know I am obsessed with the game. Jacques Rudolph said that there is nothing to worry about Indian bowling apart from Zaheer Khan, who is also making his comeback. And since then he faced me four times, and all the time he got out for ducks.&nbsp;

SC: On a final note, what will be your Indian team with you included in the XI.&nbsp;

Sreesanth: Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, KL Rahul, MS Dhoni, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Sreesanth.&nbsp;

I firmly believe in one team for all formats. Suresh Raina is someone who deserves a lot more appreciation. And with all due respect to Virat, Rohit will captain in T20s and Kohli can take the captain’s band in all other formats.&nbsp;

<img alt="Sreesanth" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fec71dc7-a36a-4544-a1dc-8c951cc3dc2b" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_DV1013110.jpg" />

And before I leave, I wanted to say something: Whenever you face a situation be it difficult, easy, super easy, impossible. Change, adapt and improvise. Make sure, you are doing it physically, mentally and spiritually. Another thing I wanted to say, when you do all these things together, it changes the look like a walk in the park. Every battle out there is a victory. Don’t even lose the battle. Don’t give up. Stick to your plan and you will achieve greatness. God bless you all. If I can, anybody can. &nbsp;&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

Sreesanth is all set to make his comeback to the cricket field after a seven-year-break. The 37-year-old's aspiration to be back on the field was bolstered by Kerala coach Tinu Yohanan's words of motivation and the right-handed seamer is looking forward to hitting the ground running and help Kerala win trophies in the domestic circuit.

Sreesanth is all set to make his comeback to the cricket field after a seven-year-break. The 37-year-old's aspiration to be back on the field was bolstered by Kerala coach Tinu Yohanan's words of motivation and the right-handed seamer is looking forward to hitting the ground running and help Kerala win trophies in the domestic circuit. With lofty goals and passion, Sreesanth is gearing up to bridge the lost gap while learning and sharing his experience with the young guns of Indian cricket. In an exclusive chat with WION, Sreesanth opened up about life in lockdown, training phase, what goals he has set for himself, changing landscape of cricket, IPL 2020, Michael Jordan's mental conditioning coach Tim Grover, his ultimate Team India XI (present) and much more. × Subhayan Chakraborty: Thank you Sreesanth for your time, how did the lockdown phase go for you? Sreesanth: It’s treating me well. I did say that people need to stick to their house to curb the spread and honestly, there are certain jobs which can be done from home. But imagine me, I have been in lockdown for close to seven years now. I missed the thing I love – play cricket. But thankfully, it is during the coronavirus pandemic that I got a green signal from Kerala Cricket Association so it has been a blessing in disguise. I am spending a lot of time with my family. I love to read and write and I am reading a lot now, and trying to get my values right. I have been training in my home and I will be back again at the nets soon. But I urge people to stay indoors and as a wise man once said, ‘you have to win the war and small battles matter a lot’. I am not a wise man but I say that to be a national hero, stay indoors and if you really need to go out then take all the precautions. Don’t be lazy when it comes to hygiene. I am writing something on whatever has happened in the last couple of months, I am writing on the lines of ‘loneliness is equal to geniuses’. The emphasis is on meditation and focus will be on ‘enjoy yourself during this time.’ Another thing I learned is painting and I am thinking of starting a YouTube channel. SC: How has your body been responding to the resumption of practice and full-fledged training for cricket? Sreesanth: God has been extremely kind. A 37-year-old is trying to make a comeback to international cricket. I think the break has been a blessing in disguise for my body as it helped me to freshen up my mind, I try to think positively. I did a couple of movies which helped remain in good shape but when it comes to cricket, the Celebrity Cricket League helped me be into cricket. I worked with Dilip Vengsarkar sir there. So being a bowling coach helped me a lot in keeping my fitness in check. I was 100-102 kgs before I went to Bigg Boss but with no food there, it helped me lose some weight (laughs). Ayurveda and Indian food has helped me keep my fitness intact and I would advise everyone to at least try it. It is miraculous. For match fitness, yes, I have to play a lot and I am looking forward to it. I am fresh and raring to go. Some players who used to play with me have retired because they are mentally and physically tired but that is not the case for me as I haven’t played for the last seven years. So yes, I am there for the long run now. SC: But let’s be honest here, playing one match is a different thing but playing an entire season is a different ball game. Do you think your body is ready to sustain that sort of pressure? Sreesanth: Absolutely! When you are a youngster, an under-19 cricketer, you can afford to not sleep in time and eat healthily. But at my age, you have to be very particular about how you maintain your lifestyle. I am enjoying a healthy lifestyle now. In my opinion, it is all about mindset. I am not physically or mentally exhausted. After this long break, I am feeling like a youngster. I am not here for a season, I am here to sustain four or five seasons. My goal is to help Kerala win and help youngsters grow and then move to some of the smaller teams. I don’t want to hold onto a youngster’s position and rather would pass on my experience for them to learn from it. During this break, I have learned about different types of training, recovery training and all. So that will help me a lot. I am a positive person and Sreesanth was never a realistic person. I will defy all the odds again. And my message to all, don’t think about age, just lock on a target and work on that. SC: Cricket has completely in these last seven years. Are you prepared to learn and grasp things from youngsters and be a better bowler? Sreesanth: The way I look at this is that it will be a debut match for me. It is all about the experience. You have to accept that there are better players. Yes, I have to learn a lot about the changed rules. I didn’t know that there were two new white balls and I have no shame in accepting that. Thanks to Sachin Baby, Sanju Samson, Basil Thampi and others, they all have way more experience in the last seven years. They have played the IPL and know modern cricket. I have so many things to learn from them. I still have that out-swinger, I can still bowl toe-crushing yorkers. I still have that in-cutter from which I got Sachin paaji (Sachin Tendulkar) out in 2005. But yes, I do accept that I have so many things to learn from the younger players. I am not worried about spit-ban, just bowl your heart out. If you have proper priorities, you won’t have any problem in life. I want to leave a legacy and set fresh benchmarks. SC: Kerala’s performance wasn’t up to the mark but the pace attack with the likes of Basil Thampi, KM Asif looks pretty decent on paper and your addition could further bolster it. Do you look at it as competition for places? Sreesanth: We have fast bowlers who could represent the country at any given day. I am not here to compete. Something I have written ‘everybody knows what they want to be but most of them don’t know what they want to become’. I exactly know who I want to be. I can never get my seven years back but I am so grateful that I got to learn so much thing about life. There is no ego now, there is no competition. I am here to help. I will be starting Sreesanth Sports Academy soon, and that will be a small contribution to help the youngsters from my side. I will help each and everyone to better than me and then only I can be better than them. And if I end up with good performances, then hopefully I will be back playing for the country. SC: What about your aspirations for IPL? Sreesanth: I will definitely put my name if my association allows. I think I am a good enough bowler and if any franchise contacts me before the auctions then I would love to be back in IPL. I have done decently in these last seven years. I have done movies, reality shows and I have continued to earn for my family. But I am not worrying about the results that is something I am preaching. Seven years is a long time for the season but for me, it was like a life sentence and I am ready to help and learn. SC: How was your time learning from Michael Jordan’s mental conditioning coach Tim Grover? Sreesanth: What he was teaching is being unapologetic. I learned a lot about how Michael Jordan created his legacy. Again coronavirus has been a blessing in disguise, otherwise, I wouldn’t have gotten the chance to learn from him. He is brute honest, something I learned from him. Being yourself, being your own competition is something which he taught me. That is what Tim Grover taught me but equally, Ramji Srinivasan has been a big help for me. He was the one who told me to run for 30 minutes or else I wouldn’t survive the physical intensity of the sport. SC: A chat with Sreesanth is incomplete without that South Africa tour. Almost everyone knows about the Andre Nel incident but not many how Jacques Rudolph triggered you. Sreesanth: Every day you learn. I have to thank Dada (Sourav Ganguly). Initially, I had no clue about how to bowl to left-handers. I just used to release the ball and hope that the batsman would get LBW or bowler. But it was Dada who told me ‘I know you struggle against left-handers so let’s practice’. So I used to bowl him in the nets. He helped me with the angle, release point and other technicalities. You know, when you bowl to the best, you become the best. When there are legends like Dada, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Gautam Gambhir are there in the dressing room and for that matter Murali Vijay, Dinesh Karthik have good technique. So I have to thank these people behind my success there. It was not easy to be part of that team but again I am thankful to them for making me learn so much. I know a lot of people laugh after I hit Andre Nel for that six but they don’t realise that he was saying all the wrong things about me and my country. I just wanted to tame him. And even know I am obsessed with the game. Jacques Rudolph said that there is nothing to worry about Indian bowling apart from Zaheer Khan, who is also making his comeback. And since then he faced me four times, and all the time he got out for ducks. SC: On a final note, what will be your Indian team with you included in the XI. Sreesanth: Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, KL Rahul, MS Dhoni, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Sreesanth. I firmly believe in one team for all formats. Suresh Raina is someone who deserves a lot more appreciation. And with all due respect to Virat, Rohit will captain in T20s and Kohli can take the captain’s band in all other formats. And before I leave, I wanted to say something: Whenever you face a situation be it difficult, easy, super easy, impossible. Change, adapt and improvise. Make sure, you are doing it physically, mentally and spiritually. Another thing I wanted to say, when you do all these things together, it changes the look like a walk in the park. Every battle out there is a victory. Don’t even lose the battle. Don’t give up. Stick to your plan and you will achieve greatness. God bless you all. If I can, anybody can.

Interview | I want to leave a legacy and set fresh benchmarks: Sreesanth

Former India opener and a stalwart in the domestic circuit, Wasim Jaffer has been appointed head coach of Uttarakhand cricket team for the 2020-21 domestic season. Jaffer signed a one-year deal with the Uttarakhand side in what will be his first stint as the head coach of a team.&nbsp;

<h2>An exciting and challenging opportunity for me: Wasim Jaffer</h2>

“It is an exciting and challenging opportunity for me, something very new. Even though I have done coaching in some capacity be it Bangladesh or somewhere else, but to be a head coach of a team it will bring fresh challenges for me,” Jaffer told WION’s Subhayan Chakraborty.&nbsp;

Jaffer, who is the highest run-getter in the history of Ranji Trophy, had announced his retirement in March 2020 as he drew curtains on a career spanning over two decades.&nbsp;

Uttarakhand has a talented bunch of players spearheaded by Tanmay Srivastava and Unmukt Chand and Jaffer’s role will not only be to put strong results in the books but also to guide players with his immense experience in international and domestic cricket.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/west-indies-complete-isolation-period-in-england-all-set-for-practice-match-307909" hreflang="en">West Indies complete isolation period in England, all set for practice match</a>

“Both the things are important, it is part and parcel of a coach’s job. I have heard many good things about Uttarakhand and they have a talented bunch of players. In 2018-19 season, they played the quarter-finals against us (Vidarbha), so I know a bit about them. The facilities are really good there, something which I really look forward to.

In my opinion, the first thing a team needs for improvement is the structure. The structure has to be good, look at how Vidarbha has utilized the academy and indoor facilities. Similarly, Uttarakhand has a good structure to work with. I want to improve the players, the team and I am looking forward to passing on my experience and knowledge to make them a better unit,” Jaffer explained.&nbsp;

<img alt="Wasim Jaffer " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="47f766d1-0154-415e-9e38-96fc597754ee" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_Hkg960617.jpg" />

Coaching requirements have changed with cricket evolving with each passing day. Now, T20 cricket is given as much importance as Test cricket was given back in the day, and with that comes immense responsibility for a coach. And Jaffer, who knows the modern cricket thoroughly, is eager to leave his mark in his first stint as coach.&nbsp;

<h2>"You need to be prepared for all three formats" - Wasim Jaffer</h2>

“It all depends, nowadays you need to be prepared for all three formats. Different formats demand&nbsp;different skill-set and temperament. I believe, as a player, you need to play all three formats and as a coach, my role would be to provide them with inputs to play all three formats of the game. They need to be prepared for all three formats. Batsman needs to be ready for four-day cricket, one-dayers and T20 and this is the same for the bowlers as they need to vary their variations according to the demand of the game. All three formats demand different challenges and my job will be to give them the best possible platform for it. The most important thing is that our process needs to be on point, preparation needs to be good and the results will follow,” Jaffer signed off.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/icc-womens-t20-world-cup-2020-most-watched-womens-cricket-event-in-history-307714" hreflang="en">ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2020 most watched women's cricket event in history</a>

Uttarakhand, who had reached the quarter-finals of the Ranji 2018-19 season, failed to qualify for the knockouts in the 2019-20 season from Group C but would be looking to make a mark under Jaffer’s tutelage. 
&nbsp;

Former India opener and a stalwart in the domestic circuit, Wasim Jaffer has been appointed head coach of Uttarakhand cricket team for the 2020-21 domestic season.

Former India opener and a stalwart in the domestic circuit, Wasim Jaffer has been appointed head coach of Uttarakhand cricket team for the 2020-21 domestic season. Jaffer signed a one-year deal with the Uttarakhand side in what will be his first stint as the head coach of a team. An exciting and challenging opportunity for me: Wasim Jaffer “It is an exciting and challenging opportunity for me, something very new. Even though I have done coaching in some capacity be it Bangladesh or somewhere else, but to be a head coach of a team it will bring fresh challenges for me,” Jaffer told WION’s Subhayan Chakraborty. Jaffer, who is the highest run-getter in the history of Ranji Trophy, had announced his retirement in March 2020 as he drew curtains on a career spanning over two decades. Uttarakhand has a talented bunch of players spearheaded by Tanmay Srivastava and Unmukt Chand and Jaffer’s role will not only be to put strong results in the books but also to guide players with his immense experience in international and domestic cricket. ALSO READ: West Indies complete isolation period in England, all set for practice match “Both the things are important, it is part and parcel of a coach’s job. I have heard many good things about Uttarakhand and they have a talented bunch of players. In 2018-19 season, they played the quarter-finals against us (Vidarbha), so I know a bit about them. The facilities are really good there, something which I really look forward to. In my opinion, the first thing a team needs for improvement is the structure. The structure has to be good, look at how Vidarbha has utilized the academy and indoor facilities. Similarly, Uttarakhand has a good structure to work with. I want to improve the players, the team and I am looking forward to passing on my experience and knowledge to make them a better unit,” Jaffer explained. Coaching requirements have changed with cricket evolving with each passing day. Now, T20 cricket is given as much importance as Test cricket was given back in the day, and with that comes immense responsibility for a coach. And Jaffer, who knows the modern cricket thoroughly, is eager to leave his mark in his first stint as coach. "You need to be prepared for all three formats" - Wasim Jaffer “It all depends, nowadays you need to be prepared for all three formats. Different formats demand different skill-set and temperament. I believe, as a player, you need to play all three formats and as a coach, my role would be to provide them with inputs to play all three formats of the game. They need to be prepared for all three formats. Batsman needs to be ready for four-day cricket, one-dayers and T20 and this is the same for the bowlers as they need to vary their variations according to the demand of the game. All three formats demand different challenges and my job will be to give them the best possible platform for it. The most important thing is that our process needs to be on point, preparation needs to be good and the results will follow,” Jaffer signed off. ALSO READ: ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2020 most watched women's cricket event in history Uttarakhand, who had reached the quarter-finals of the Ranji 2018-19 season, failed to qualify for the knockouts in the 2019-20 season from Group C but would be looking to make a mark under Jaffer’s tutelage.

'Exciting and challenging opportunity' - Wasim Jaffer on being appointed as Uttarakhand's head coach

Former India opener and domestic stalwart Wasim Jaffer feels Vijay Hazare, Duleep and Deodhar Trophy should be scrapped this season in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and instead that time should be used to conduct a full-fledged Ranji Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 competition.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sig-vs-sto-dream11-prediction-ecs-t10-league-fantasy-cricket-tips-for-sigtuna-cc-vs-stockholm-cricket-club-305970" hreflang="en">SIG vs STO, Dream11 Prediction, ECS T10 League: Fantasy cricket tips for Sigtuna CC vs Stockholm Cricket Club</a>

Jaffer wants a rejigged domestic season to ensure that the players get enough breaks and are not rushed into tournaments. 
The domestic season is expected to start in August but with the coronavirus cases rising rapidly in the country, the BCCI has so far adopted a wait and watch policy on resumption of activities.

"As and when the season commences, whenever cricket starts, the priority is to have the IPL first. The BCCI can look to start with the IPL as the first tournament,"&nbsp;Jaffer told PTI on Monday in a free-wheeling chat.

The BCCI has zeroed in on a September-October window for the IPL but that that is sujbect to the fate of Asia Cup and T20 World Cup, which are scheduled in the same window.

"Once the IPL finishes, the BCCI can look to start the domestic season with the Irani Trophy (Cup) as Saurashtra deserves to play it as they are first-time champions.

"Then we can start the Ranji Trophy. And before the (IPL) auction, as and when BCCI keeps the auction for next year's IPL, we should have the Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy and scrap the Vijay Hazare, Duleep Trophy and Deodhar Trophy and use that period to hold these major two tournaments with the adequate breaks for players," added Jaffer.

He reasoned that the rejig will ensure that players will have enough time to prepare.

"...Rather than rushing all tournaments and players not getting sufficient rest or changing the formats. That is the only thing I feel, use those two months of Vijay Hazare and Duleep trophy. Have sufficient breaks and hold these tournaments only, which are more premium tournaments," he maintained.

"And it probably goes into junior level also, try and scrap the ODI tournaments in U-23 or U-19, so that I feel the players will get sufficient breaks and they can look forward to these tournaments,"&nbsp;explained the highest run-getter in Ranji Trophy.

Jaffer also stressed on the need for making the road to Ranji Trophy quarter-finals tougher.

"And one more thing is having Ranji trophy with teams split into groups with nine teams each in A, B and C and three teams qualifying into knockouts from. Three teams from A group, three from B group of elite teams and you can have two teams qualify from the C group, so that makes it eight teams and have the quarter-final among those teams.

"The D Group (Plate), they should only get the incentive of topping the table to get the promotion into C group. I feel the top team from the D Group shouldn't be allowed to play the quarter-finals, as that makes the competition a little weak,"&nbsp;said Jaffer, who announced his retirement in March.

In the last season of Ranji Trophy, five teams from combined A and B Groups made it to the quarters, while two teams from Group C and one from Plate Group made the last eight.

Gujarat, which had qualified from Group A and B combined, had faced Pondicherry , who had qualified from Plate Group in the Ranji quarters and Gujarat decimated Pondicherry.

Former India opener and domestic stalwart Wasim Jaffer feels Vijay Hazare, Duleep and Deodhar Trophy should be scrapped this season in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and instead that time should be used to conduct a full-fledged Ranji Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 competition.

Former India opener and domestic stalwart Wasim Jaffer feels Vijay Hazare, Duleep and Deodhar Trophy should be scrapped this season in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and instead that time should be used to conduct a full-fledged Ranji Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 competition. Also read: SIG vs STO, Dream11 Prediction, ECS T10 League: Fantasy cricket tips for Sigtuna CC vs Stockholm Cricket Club Jaffer wants a rejigged domestic season to ensure that the players get enough breaks and are not rushed into tournaments. The domestic season is expected to start in August but with the coronavirus cases rising rapidly in the country, the BCCI has so far adopted a wait and watch policy on resumption of activities. "As and when the season commences, whenever cricket starts, the priority is to have the IPL first. The BCCI can look to start with the IPL as the first tournament," Jaffer told PTI on Monday in a free-wheeling chat. The BCCI has zeroed in on a September-October window for the IPL but that that is sujbect to the fate of Asia Cup and T20 World Cup, which are scheduled in the same window. "Once the IPL finishes, the BCCI can look to start the domestic season with the Irani Trophy (Cup) as Saurashtra deserves to play it as they are first-time champions. "Then we can start the Ranji Trophy. And before the (IPL) auction, as and when BCCI keeps the auction for next year's IPL, we should have the Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy and scrap the Vijay Hazare, Duleep Trophy and Deodhar Trophy and use that period to hold these major two tournaments with the adequate breaks for players," added Jaffer. He reasoned that the rejig will ensure that players will have enough time to prepare. "...Rather than rushing all tournaments and players not getting sufficient rest or changing the formats. That is the only thing I feel, use those two months of Vijay Hazare and Duleep trophy. Have sufficient breaks and hold these tournaments only, which are more premium tournaments," he maintained. "And it probably goes into junior level also, try and scrap the ODI tournaments in U-23 or U-19, so that I feel the players will get sufficient breaks and they can look forward to these tournaments," explained the highest run-getter in Ranji Trophy. Jaffer also stressed on the need for making the road to Ranji Trophy quarter-finals tougher. "And one more thing is having Ranji trophy with teams split into groups with nine teams each in A, B and C and three teams qualifying into knockouts from. Three teams from A group, three from B group of elite teams and you can have two teams qualify from the C group, so that makes it eight teams and have the quarter-final among those teams. "The D Group (Plate), they should only get the incentive of topping the table to get the promotion into C group. I feel the top team from the D Group shouldn't be allowed to play the quarter-finals, as that makes the competition a little weak," said Jaffer, who announced his retirement in March. In the last season of Ranji Trophy, five teams from combined A and B Groups made it to the quarters, while two teams from Group C and one from Plate Group made the last eight. Gujarat, which had qualified from Group A and B combined, had faced Pondicherry , who had qualified from Plate Group in the Ranji quarters and Gujarat decimated Pondicherry.

BCCI should scrap Hazare, Duleep and Deodhar Trophy for Ranji this season: Wasim Jaffer

Skipper Jaydev Unadkat on Friday produced a lion-hearted spell when it mattered the most against Bengal, leading Saurashtra to their maiden Ranji Trophy triumph a year after stumbling at the last hurdle. The win was achieved on the basis of the first-innings lead here.

Bengal had the upper hand going into day five after Anustup Majumdar (63) and Arnab Nandi (40 not out) shared an unbeaten 91-run stand in the final session Thursday.

But Unadkat, who had single-handily taken Saurashtra into the final with a seven-wicket haul against Gujarat on the final day of their semifinal, rose to the occasion yet again to script a historic victory.

The left-arm pacer had the in-form Majumdar LBW and Akash Deep run out in a space of three balls to turn the game on its head. Unadkat ended as the season's leading wicket-taker with 67 scalps at a staggering average of 13.23, one short of an all-time record.

One hour and 10 minutes of play in the decisive morning session yielded 27 runs and four wickets with Bengal all out for 381, giving Saurashtra a 44-run first innings lead. At the start of the day, Bengal needed 72 runs for the first-innings lead with four wickets in hands.

In the second innings, all Saurashtra had to do was to bat time before both captains decided to call off the game and shake hands. They eventually did that at tea time after Saurashtra sauntered 105 for three in 34 overs.

With the win, Saurashtra ended their Ranji Trophy title drought while a fighting Bengal will have to wait longer for their first crown since the 1989-90 season.

Despite the loss, it was a memorable season for Bengal, who reached the title clash after 13 years at the back of stellar performances from the pace trio of Akash Deep, Mukesh Kumar, Ishan Porel and veteran batsman Manoj Tiwary and Majumdar.

For Saurashtra, the star performers were Sheldon Jackson, Arpit Vasavada, and of course, their captain.

Unadkat, who opened the bowling alongside Chetan Sakariya on day five, was a tad defensive with the field placement early on, considering the team conceded easy runs to Bengal on the penultimate day.

The onus was on the Saurashtra skipper to deliver again after his performance against Gujarat propelled his team to its fourth final in eight seasons. He had bowled 32 overs before that match-winning over without getting a wicket despite giving his all.

But such is his conviction that he backs himself to do the job in the toughest of situations. In fact, he thrives on it.

Majumdar and Nandi, who resumed the day on 58 and 28 after defying Saurashtra on Thursday, were expected to get the 72 runs for the all-important first innings but Unadkat changed it all in one over.

The left-arm pacer, who is known more for his IPL riches than his brave heart performances for his state team, ended the 98-run stand between Majumdar and Nandi by trapping the former in front of the stumps as he brought the ball back in sharply.

He could have had Wriddhiman Saha out twice on day four with a similar ball but did not have the required luck.

Two balls after sending back a dejected Majumdar, Unadkat was alert enough on the field to make Akash Deep pay for ignoring the basics.

Having played and miss, Akash Deep was found standing marginally outside the crease. The wicketkeeper was quick to observe that and went for the direct hit but missed, only for the bowler to collect the ball and disturb the timber, giving Saurashtra their second wicket in three balls.

The game was played behind closed doors due to the coronavirus threat but the celebratory roar from the Saurashtra players could be heard from the highway next door.

Five overs later, spinner Dharmendrasinh Jadeja had Mukesh Kumar caught at short-leg after taking a successful DRS call, bringing Saurashtra just one wicket away from creating history.

With Bengal 55 runs behind, Nandi tried his best and went for his strokes but in the end, his team fell agonisingly short.

Fittingly, Unadkat took the last wicket of Bengal's innings by catching number 11 Ishan Porel plumb in front of the stumps.

Skipper Jaydev Unadkat on Friday produced a lion-hearted spell when it mattered the most against Bengal, leading Saurashtra to their maiden Ranji Trophy triumph a year after stumbling at the last hurdle.

Skipper Jaydev Unadkat on Friday produced a lion-hearted spell when it mattered the most against Bengal, leading Saurashtra to their maiden Ranji Trophy triumph a year after stumbling at the last hurdle. The win was achieved on the basis of the first-innings lead here. Bengal had the upper hand going into day five after Anustup Majumdar (63) and Arnab Nandi (40 not out) shared an unbeaten 91-run stand in the final session Thursday. But Unadkat, who had single-handily taken Saurashtra into the final with a seven-wicket haul against Gujarat on the final day of their semifinal, rose to the occasion yet again to script a historic victory. The left-arm pacer had the in-form Majumdar LBW and Akash Deep run out in a space of three balls to turn the game on its head. Unadkat ended as the season's leading wicket-taker with 67 scalps at a staggering average of 13.23, one short of an all-time record. One hour and 10 minutes of play in the decisive morning session yielded 27 runs and four wickets with Bengal all out for 381, giving Saurashtra a 44-run first innings lead. At the start of the day, Bengal needed 72 runs for the first-innings lead with four wickets in hands. In the second innings, all Saurashtra had to do was to bat time before both captains decided to call off the game and shake hands. They eventually did that at tea time after Saurashtra sauntered 105 for three in 34 overs. With the win, Saurashtra ended their Ranji Trophy title drought while a fighting Bengal will have to wait longer for their first crown since the 1989-90 season. Despite the loss, it was a memorable season for Bengal, who reached the title clash after 13 years at the back of stellar performances from the pace trio of Akash Deep, Mukesh Kumar, Ishan Porel and veteran batsman Manoj Tiwary and Majumdar. For Saurashtra, the star performers were Sheldon Jackson, Arpit Vasavada, and of course, their captain. Unadkat, who opened the bowling alongside Chetan Sakariya on day five, was a tad defensive with the field placement early on, considering the team conceded easy runs to Bengal on the penultimate day. The onus was on the Saurashtra skipper to deliver again after his performance against Gujarat propelled his team to its fourth final in eight seasons. He had bowled 32 overs before that match-winning over without getting a wicket despite giving his all. But such is his conviction that he backs himself to do the job in the toughest of situations. In fact, he thrives on it. Majumdar and Nandi, who resumed the day on 58 and 28 after defying Saurashtra on Thursday, were expected to get the 72 runs for the all-important first innings but Unadkat changed it all in one over. The left-arm pacer, who is known more for his IPL riches than his brave heart performances for his state team, ended the 98-run stand between Majumdar and Nandi by trapping the former in front of the stumps as he brought the ball back in sharply. He could have had Wriddhiman Saha out twice on day four with a similar ball but did not have the required luck. Two balls after sending back a dejected Majumdar, Unadkat was alert enough on the field to make Akash Deep pay for ignoring the basics. Having played and miss, Akash Deep was found standing marginally outside the crease. The wicketkeeper was quick to observe that and went for the direct hit but missed, only for the bowler to collect the ball and disturb the timber, giving Saurashtra their second wicket in three balls. The game was played behind closed doors due to the coronavirus threat but the celebratory roar from the Saurashtra players could be heard from the highway next door. Five overs later, spinner Dharmendrasinh Jadeja had Mukesh Kumar caught at short-leg after taking a successful DRS call, bringing Saurashtra just one wicket away from creating history. With Bengal 55 runs behind, Nandi tried his best and went for his strokes but in the end, his team fell agonisingly short. Fittingly, Unadkat took the last wicket of Bengal's innings by catching number 11 Ishan Porel plumb in front of the stumps.

Jaydev Unadkat fires Saurashtra to Ranji Trophy title truimph, delivers on final day yet again

The Day 5 of the Ranji Trophy 2019-20 semi-final between Saurashtra and Bengal is set to be played behind close doors with only players, match officials, accredited media set to be allowed along with select state officials. With the summit clash of Ranji Trophy headed to the final day with an exciting end to the match ready, fans were expected to head to the stadiums to witness an enthralling end to India's premium domestic tournament.

Even though Ranji Trophy hasn't attracted the largest of crowd, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has taken this step as a precautionary measure to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus. At least 71 positive cases have been confirmed in India and with the virus spreading like a wildfire, the BCCI has decided to hold the final of Ranji Trophy 2019-20 behind closed doors.&nbsp;

<h2>"No public will be allowed on the final day"</h2>

"No public will be allowed on the final day. Only the players, match officials and media are allowed," BCCI general manager Saba Karim, who is in charge of domestic cricket, told PTI.

There have been question marks over the future of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 but an official confirmation is expected after IPL governing council meeting on March 14 (Saturday). As per latest reports, close doors matches are a real possibility in the 13th edition of the cash-rich league.

Meanwhile, in Ranji Trophy final between Saurashtra and Bengal, the latter ended Day 4 at 354/6, as many as 71 runs behind Saurashtra's 425 runs in the first innings. With the match heading to a draw, the winner of Ranji Trophy 2019-20 is set to be decided on the basis of first-innings lead which makes the encounter even more fascinating. While Bengal need 71 runs to take a first-innings lead, Saurashtra are four wickets away from putting their hands on the coveted trophy.

Bengal are playing a Ranji Trophy final after 13 years whereas this is Saurashtra's consecutive outing in the summit clash.

The Day 5 of the Ranji Trophy 2019-20 semi-final between Saurashtra and Bengal is set to be played behind close doors with only players, match officials, accredited media set to be allowed along with select state officials.

The Day 5 of the Ranji Trophy 2019-20 semi-final between Saurashtra and Bengal is set to be played behind close doors with only players, match officials, accredited media set to be allowed along with select state officials. With the summit clash of Ranji Trophy headed to the final day with an exciting end to the match ready, fans were expected to head to the stadiums to witness an enthralling end to India's premium domestic tournament. Even though Ranji Trophy hasn't attracted the largest of crowd, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has taken this step as a precautionary measure to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus. At least 71 positive cases have been confirmed in India and with the virus spreading like a wildfire, the BCCI has decided to hold the final of Ranji Trophy 2019-20 behind closed doors. "No public will be allowed on the final day" "No public will be allowed on the final day. Only the players, match officials and media are allowed," BCCI general manager Saba Karim, who is in charge of domestic cricket, told PTI. There have been question marks over the future of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 but an official confirmation is expected after IPL governing council meeting on March 14 (Saturday). As per latest reports, close doors matches are a real possibility in the 13th edition of the cash-rich league. Meanwhile, in Ranji Trophy final between Saurashtra and Bengal, the latter ended Day 4 at 354/6, as many as 71 runs behind Saurashtra's 425 runs in the first innings. With the match heading to a draw, the winner of Ranji Trophy 2019-20 is set to be decided on the basis of first-innings lead which makes the encounter even more fascinating. While Bengal need 71 runs to take a first-innings lead, Saurashtra are four wickets away from putting their hands on the coveted trophy. Bengal are playing a Ranji Trophy final after 13 years whereas this is Saurashtra's consecutive outing in the summit clash.

Saurashtra vs Bengal: Day 5 of Ranji Trophy final to be played in empty stadium amid coronavirus outbreak

Opening batsman Prithvi Shaw has left Mumbai's Ranji Trophy squad midway after suffering a left rotator cuff injury. 
 
The player suffered the injury in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/no-compromise-on-credibility-zero-tolerance-toward-corruption-sourav-ganguly-in-his-first-media-interaction-as-bcci-president-257698">Ranji Trophy</a> match against Karnataka at Bandra Kurla Complex. The batsman has now been rushed to the National Cricket Academy (NCA). 
 
"He underwent an MRI scan last evening in Mumbai, and the reports confirmed a labral tear. He is in a lot of pain and is headed to Bangalore to meet the NCA physios. They will assess him and decide the next course," ESPN Cricinfo quoted Mumbai's coach Vinayak Samant as saying. 
 
Shaw had picked up the injury on Friday when he fell on his left shoulder while backing up to stop an overthrow. He left the field immediately and did not return. 
 
"Initially, it was more a precaution to get him off the field and rest him. I wanted him to bat, I thought he will bat even if it meant just going there, blocking and supporting the other batsman, but he wasn't entirely comfortable with that," said Vinayak. 
 
"Then we received an e-mail this morning around 11 am from the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-confirms-jay-shah-as-representative-to-iccs-chief-executives-committee-265608">BCCI</a> to pull him out of the match and send him to the NCA for assessment. Losing him to an injury is disappointing, looking at his own game and from our team's point of view because we need to fight for every run if are to set a defend a target against Karnataka," he said. 
 
Shaw was named in India A squad for the upcoming series against New Zealand and the side was slated to leave for Auckland on January 10. 
Last year, Shaw was suspended by the BCCI for a doping violation. 
 
BCCI, in their statement, had stated that they were satisfied with the explanation given by Shaw that he had taken Terbutaline inadvertently to treat a Respiratory Tract Infection and not as a performance-enhancing drug.

Opening batsman Prithvi Shaw has left Mumbai's Ranji Trophy squad midway after suffering a left rotator cuff injury. The player suffered the injury in the Ranji Trophy match against Karnataka at Bandra Kurla Complex.

Opening batsman Prithvi Shaw has left Mumbai's Ranji Trophy squad midway after suffering a left rotator cuff injury. The player suffered the injury in the Ranji Trophy match against Karnataka at Bandra Kurla Complex. The batsman has now been rushed to the National Cricket Academy (NCA). "He underwent an MRI scan last evening in Mumbai, and the reports confirmed a labral tear. He is in a lot of pain and is headed to Bangalore to meet the NCA physios. They will assess him and decide the next course," ESPN Cricinfo quoted Mumbai's coach Vinayak Samant as saying. Shaw had picked up the injury on Friday when he fell on his left shoulder while backing up to stop an overthrow. He left the field immediately and did not return. "Initially, it was more a precaution to get him off the field and rest him. I wanted him to bat, I thought he will bat even if it meant just going there, blocking and supporting the other batsman, but he wasn't entirely comfortable with that," said Vinayak. "Then we received an e-mail this morning around 11 am from the BCCI to pull him out of the match and send him to the NCA for assessment. Losing him to an injury is disappointing, looking at his own game and from our team's point of view because we need to fight for every run if are to set a defend a target against Karnataka," he said. Shaw was named in India A squad for the upcoming series against New Zealand and the side was slated to leave for Auckland on January 10. Last year, Shaw was suspended by the BCCI for a doping violation. BCCI, in their statement, had stated that they were satisfied with the explanation given by Shaw that he had taken Terbutaline inadvertently to treat a Respiratory Tract Infection and not as a performance-enhancing drug.

Prithvi Shaw suffers injury, BCCI withdraws him from Mumbai's Ranji squad

Vidarbha lifted their second successive Ranji Trophy title with a comfortable 78-run win over Saurashtra in the final, proving that their maiden triumph last year was no "fluke".

Vidarbha needed five wickets to defend their title while Saurashtra, in a chase of 206, were left a mountain to climb after a top-order collapse on February 6. They required 148 runs for their maiden title on the fifth and final day at the VCA stadium.

"Everyone thought it was a fluke when we won last year and we were under pressure to retain the title. But our focus was process, we never bothered about reputation," Vidarbha's talismanic coach Chandrakant Pandit said.

The fiercely fought final swung early on but Vidarbha went into the final day with a tight hold on the proceedings and bundled out the visitors for 127 with more than two sessions to spare.

Overnight batsmen Vishvaraj Jadeja (52) and Kamlesh Makvana (14) batted resolutely for the first hour but once the partnership was broken, the end was inevitable for Saurashtra.

Man of the match left-arm spinner Aditya Sarwate claimed three of the five wickets that fell on Thursday, to end with career-best match figures of 11/57. He took six for 59 in the second innings.

It was his maiden haul of 10 or more wickets in a first-class match. He had scalped five batsmen in the first innings.

Sarwate, without doubt, was the star of the match for Vidarbha as he not only took 11 of the 20 Saurashtra wickets with his left-arm spin, his 49-run knock in the second innings played a key role in his side setting the stiff 206-run target.

Vidarbha is only the sixth team in the tournament's long history to have defended the title.

Mumbai, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Delhi are the other teams who have managed to win consecutive titles.

Saurashtra had ended runners-up to Mumbai in 2012-13 and 2015-16 and again it was a case of so close yet so far for them.

The batting failure of star batsman Cheteshwar Pujara hurt Saurashtra badly. But Vidarbha managed to stay unaffected by Wasim Jaffer's poor contribution.

"People did not know where Vidarbha was but it will not be the case now. It is huge for Vidarbha. The team is doing a great job," said India pacer Umesh Uadav.

"I never thought I will win two titles with Vidarbha after playing 10 finals (eight with Mumbai)," gushed veteran Jaffer.

Earlier, for Saurashtra Makvana and Vishvaraj were not afraid to go for their shots as they swept Sarwate with confidence to send a few to the boundary ropes.

With Umesh Yadav and Sarwate not getting the desired results, Vidarbha brought Akshay Wakhare into the attack.

Both Jadeja and Makvana though kept rotating the strike.

Sarwate soon started extracting sharp turn from the wicket and tested Makvana's defense. After a close appeal for leg-before, Makvana swept the bowler for a four in the deep mid-wicket region.

However, two balls later, Sarwate bowled Makvana who left the ball, thinking it will turn away, but it remained straight and hit the top of the off-stump.

They batted for one hour together and added 33 runs for the sixth wicket.

Only three runs were added to the total when Wakhare trapped new man in Prerak Mankad (2) to push Saurashtra to 91 for seven.

Vishvaraj completed his half-century but Sarwate trapped both him and rival captain Jaydev Unadkat.

Wakhare brought the curtains down on the match when Dharmendrasinh Jadeja lofted one straight to Sarwate. 
&nbsp;

Vidarbha lifted their second successive Ranji Trophy title with a comfortable 78-run win over Saurashtra in the final, proving that their maiden triumph last year was no "fluke".

Vidarbha lifted their second successive Ranji Trophy title with a comfortable 78-run win over Saurashtra in the final, proving that their maiden triumph last year was no "fluke". Vidarbha needed five wickets to defend their title while Saurashtra, in a chase of 206, were left a mountain to climb after a top-order collapse on February 6. They required 148 runs for their maiden title on the fifth and final day at the VCA stadium. "Everyone thought it was a fluke when we won last year and we were under pressure to retain the title. But our focus was process, we never bothered about reputation," Vidarbha's talismanic coach Chandrakant Pandit said. The fiercely fought final swung early on but Vidarbha went into the final day with a tight hold on the proceedings and bundled out the visitors for 127 with more than two sessions to spare. Overnight batsmen Vishvaraj Jadeja (52) and Kamlesh Makvana (14) batted resolutely for the first hour but once the partnership was broken, the end was inevitable for Saurashtra. Man of the match left-arm spinner Aditya Sarwate claimed three of the five wickets that fell on Thursday, to end with career-best match figures of 11/57. He took six for 59 in the second innings. It was his maiden haul of 10 or more wickets in a first-class match. He had scalped five batsmen in the first innings. Sarwate, without doubt, was the star of the match for Vidarbha as he not only took 11 of the 20 Saurashtra wickets with his left-arm spin, his 49-run knock in the second innings played a key role in his side setting the stiff 206-run target. Vidarbha is only the sixth team in the tournament's long history to have defended the title. Mumbai, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Delhi are the other teams who have managed to win consecutive titles. Saurashtra had ended runners-up to Mumbai in 2012-13 and 2015-16 and again it was a case of so close yet so far for them. The batting failure of star batsman Cheteshwar Pujara hurt Saurashtra badly. But Vidarbha managed to stay unaffected by Wasim Jaffer's poor contribution. "People did not know where Vidarbha was but it will not be the case now. It is huge for Vidarbha. The team is doing a great job," said India pacer Umesh Uadav. "I never thought I will win two titles with Vidarbha after playing 10 finals (eight with Mumbai)," gushed veteran Jaffer. Earlier, for Saurashtra Makvana and Vishvaraj were not afraid to go for their shots as they swept Sarwate with confidence to send a few to the boundary ropes. With Umesh Yadav and Sarwate not getting the desired results, Vidarbha brought Akshay Wakhare into the attack. Both Jadeja and Makvana though kept rotating the strike. Sarwate soon started extracting sharp turn from the wicket and tested Makvana's defense. After a close appeal for leg-before, Makvana swept the bowler for a four in the deep mid-wicket region. However, two balls later, Sarwate bowled Makvana who left the ball, thinking it will turn away, but it remained straight and hit the top of the off-stump. They batted for one hour together and added 33 runs for the sixth wicket. Only three runs were added to the total when Wakhare trapped new man in Prerak Mankad (2) to push Saurashtra to 91 for seven. Vishvaraj completed his half-century but Sarwate trapped both him and rival captain Jaydev Unadkat. Wakhare brought the curtains down on the match when Dharmendrasinh Jadeja lofted one straight to Sarwate.

Ranji Trophy Final: Vidarbha lift second successive title, Saurashtra finish runners-up for 3rd time

Yuvraj Singh may be past his prime but the veteran all-rounder Sunday said he would give his "best shot" to get into the reckoning for the upcoming World Cup.&nbsp;

"Cricket has given me everything. When I leave the game, I want to be at my best. I do not want to go with any regret," said Yuvraj Singh.

The 37-year-old, who was picked by Mumbai for his base price of Rs 1 crore at the IPL auctions, has set his sights on the T20 extravaganza to make a bid for a comeback.&nbsp;

"I'm trying my best. This is our final league Ranji Trophy match and let's see if we can qualify. After this, we have the national T20 tournament and then we have the IPL. I will give my best shot and hope for the best," Yuvraj said.&nbsp;

Yuvraj hailed the Virat Kohli-led India's fine show in the Test series in Australia.&nbsp;

"Obviously their experience in batting is not that much what it used to be. But it's fantastic effort from the guys. Especially, (Cheteshwar) Pujara, (Virat) Kohli, (Jasprit) Bumrah. It's great to see Rishab (Pant) going down the order and scoring big runs. It's great sign for Indian cricket for the future.&nbsp;

"Every time we toured Australia, it's been a very tough tour. We had the opportunity to win the series, it was a draw. Then next time Australia won 2-1," he said, recalling the 2003-04 and 2007-08 tours.&nbsp;

Yuvraj lavished praise on Pant who scored a Test hundred each in England and Australia within months from his debut.&nbsp;

"He came last year, he got picked for India. Everybody said he plays too many shots, he's rash, he doesn't have the mind. But after one year of being in and out, having a good IPL, the guy scored two hundreds overseas," Yuvraj said.&nbsp;

In the same vein, Yuvraj reckoned that his 19-year-old state teammate, Shubman Gill, is an exciting prospect and should play for India post the 2019 World Cup.&nbsp;

"Definitely he's someone who can represent India for a long time. He's a very special talent. After a long time I have seen a young guy whose batting I would like to watch. After 2019 World Cup, he should make it to the side."&nbsp;

Shubman's performance has been top-notch this season, amassing 629 runs in just seven innings at an average of 125.80.&nbsp;

Stressing on the need to look after the youngsters, Yuvraj said: "It all depends how well we look after our youngsters. You have to give them the confidence to excel. The prime example is Rishabh Pant."&nbsp;

Yuvraj said he is sharing his experience with the team as much as he can.&nbsp;

"I really enjoy playing with Punjab team. Especially last three-four seasons, I've played a lot of domestic cricket. Whatever I've gained through, I try and give it to the younger guys.&nbsp;

"We have a very talented side. But I feel there is a lack of exposure in terms of playing outside. The more cricket you play outside in terms of playing in Chennai, Bangalore, Delhi Hyderabad, your cricket will get better," Yuvraj concluded.&nbsp;

Yuvraj Singh may be past his prime but the veteran all-rounder Sunday said he would give his "best shot" to get into the reckoning for the upcoming World Cup. "Cricket has given me everything.

Yuvraj Singh may be past his prime but the veteran all-rounder Sunday said he would give his "best shot" to get into the reckoning for the upcoming World Cup. "Cricket has given me everything. When I leave the game, I want to be at my best. I do not want to go with any regret," said Yuvraj Singh. The 37-year-old, who was picked by Mumbai for his base price of Rs 1 crore at the IPL auctions, has set his sights on the T20 extravaganza to make a bid for a comeback. "I'm trying my best. This is our final league Ranji Trophy match and let's see if we can qualify. After this, we have the national T20 tournament and then we have the IPL. I will give my best shot and hope for the best," Yuvraj said. Yuvraj hailed the Virat Kohli-led India's fine show in the Test series in Australia. "Obviously their experience in batting is not that much what it used to be. But it's fantastic effort from the guys. Especially, (Cheteshwar) Pujara, (Virat) Kohli, (Jasprit) Bumrah. It's great to see Rishab (Pant) going down the order and scoring big runs. It's great sign for Indian cricket for the future. "Every time we toured Australia, it's been a very tough tour. We had the opportunity to win the series, it was a draw. Then next time Australia won 2-1," he said, recalling the 2003-04 and 2007-08 tours. Yuvraj lavished praise on Pant who scored a Test hundred each in England and Australia within months from his debut. "He came last year, he got picked for India. Everybody said he plays too many shots, he's rash, he doesn't have the mind. But after one year of being in and out, having a good IPL, the guy scored two hundreds overseas," Yuvraj said. In the same vein, Yuvraj reckoned that his 19-year-old state teammate, Shubman Gill, is an exciting prospect and should play for India post the 2019 World Cup. "Definitely he's someone who can represent India for a long time. He's a very special talent. After a long time I have seen a young guy whose batting I would like to watch. After 2019 World Cup, he should make it to the side." Shubman's performance has been top-notch this season, amassing 629 runs in just seven innings at an average of 125.80. Stressing on the need to look after the youngsters, Yuvraj said: "It all depends how well we look after our youngsters. You have to give them the confidence to excel. The prime example is Rishabh Pant." Yuvraj said he is sharing his experience with the team as much as he can. "I really enjoy playing with Punjab team. Especially last three-four seasons, I've played a lot of domestic cricket. Whatever I've gained through, I try and give it to the younger guys. "We have a very talented side. But I feel there is a lack of exposure in terms of playing outside. The more cricket you play outside in terms of playing in Chennai, Bangalore, Delhi Hyderabad, your cricket will get better," Yuvraj concluded.

Yuvraj Singh still harbours World Cup selection hopes

He could be in line for a Test debut against West Indies but Prithvi Shaw shouldn't curb his attacking style of batsmanship provided he gets the nod, feels India vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane.&nbsp;

"I am happy for Shaw. I have seen him since his young days, we used to practice together, he is an attacking opener and done well for India A and got the reward," he said.

Rahane, however, didn't commit on who among Prithvi and Mayank Agarwal will partner KL Rahul in the opening Test in Rajkot, starting October 4.

"Personally we don't know the combination what we are going to play. But there is no pressure, it is an opportunity for every individual to express ourselves. I wish him good luck and I am sure he will do well. I just want him to play as he has been doing for Mumbai and India A and I think he will be fine," Rahane said.

"It is a good opportunity particularly for youngsters like Prithivi, Mayank and Siraj as they have all done well in domestic cricket. So as a batsman they can score runs, as a bowler they can pick wickets. It is all about going out there and giving your best without thinking much about future," he added.

After a disappointing outing in England, Rahane lead Mumbai to victories over Baroda, Karnataka and Railways in the Vijay Hazare Trophy last month and he said it provided him good match practice ahead of the West Indies series.

"After coming back from England, I was just looking to do well for Mumbai at that point of time and get some match practice (although it was white ball cricket) ahead of the West Indies series. Vijay Hazare was a good match practice for me," said Rahane.&nbsp;

"I always believe whether it is a domestic, international or practice match, it brings a different pressure and I think it helped me to prepare. I am really confident and looking forward to do well and keep contributing towards my team."

India will need to quickly adapt to the different yet familiar home conditions at home to dominate the two-Test series against West Indies, feels the Indian vice-captain.

India had failed to bring their best in English conditions, losing the five-Test series 1-4 last month.

"Here we have to see how the wicket behaves, it is hot here, so we have to adapt to the conditions quickly during the practice sessions," Rahane said.

"We know the Indian conditions and we know how to go about our job and what shots to play here. England was different, so we will have to quickly mentally switch.

"Each and every match is equally important and we are just looking to play to our standards, rather than thinking about our opponents. It is important to start off well, we have two practice sessions before the Test match starts," he added.

The 30-year-old Mumbaikar said the focus of the team is to improve its own game without thinking about their opponents.

"It was a great achievement to win Asia Cup and players, who got an opportunity there did well, but this is a new series and we can't take them lightly. We have to focus to improve our own game," said Rahane.

"No matter whom we play, whether it is Australia, England or West Indies, it is important to improve our own standard. Our goal will be to play some good cricket, definitely to dominate from the first match and improvement as a batsman, as a bowler and as a team, that would be the focus."

He could be in line for a Test debut against West Indies but Prithvi Shaw shouldn't curb his attacking style of batsmanship provided he gets the nod, feels India vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane.

He could be in line for a Test debut against West Indies but Prithvi Shaw shouldn't curb his attacking style of batsmanship provided he gets the nod, feels India vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane. "I am happy for Shaw. I have seen him since his young days, we used to practice together, he is an attacking opener and done well for India A and got the reward," he said. Rahane, however, didn't commit on who among Prithvi and Mayank Agarwal will partner KL Rahul in the opening Test in Rajkot, starting October 4. "Personally we don't know the combination what we are going to play. But there is no pressure, it is an opportunity for every individual to express ourselves. I wish him good luck and I am sure he will do well. I just want him to play as he has been doing for Mumbai and India A and I think he will be fine," Rahane said. "It is a good opportunity particularly for youngsters like Prithivi, Mayank and Siraj as they have all done well in domestic cricket. So as a batsman they can score runs, as a bowler they can pick wickets. It is all about going out there and giving your best without thinking much about future," he added. After a disappointing outing in England, Rahane lead Mumbai to victories over Baroda, Karnataka and Railways in the Vijay Hazare Trophy last month and he said it provided him good match practice ahead of the West Indies series. "After coming back from England, I was just looking to do well for Mumbai at that point of time and get some match practice (although it was white ball cricket) ahead of the West Indies series. Vijay Hazare was a good match practice for me," said Rahane. "I always believe whether it is a domestic, international or practice match, it brings a different pressure and I think it helped me to prepare. I am really confident and looking forward to do well and keep contributing towards my team." India will need to quickly adapt to the different yet familiar home conditions at home to dominate the two-Test series against West Indies, feels the Indian vice-captain. India had failed to bring their best in English conditions, losing the five-Test series 1-4 last month. "Here we have to see how the wicket behaves, it is hot here, so we have to adapt to the conditions quickly during the practice sessions," Rahane said. "We know the Indian conditions and we know how to go about our job and what shots to play here. England was different, so we will have to quickly mentally switch. "Each and every match is equally important and we are just looking to play to our standards, rather than thinking about our opponents. It is important to start off well, we have two practice sessions before the Test match starts," he added. The 30-year-old Mumbaikar said the focus of the team is to improve its own game without thinking about their opponents. "It was a great achievement to win Asia Cup and players, who got an opportunity there did well, but this is a new series and we can't take them lightly. We have to focus to improve our own game," said Rahane. "No matter whom we play, whether it is Australia, England or West Indies, it is important to improve our own standard. Our goal will be to play some good cricket, definitely to dominate from the first match and improvement as a batsman, as a bowler and as a team, that would be the focus."

Prithvi should bat just like he does for Mumbai in Ranji Trophy: Ajinkya Rahane

Armed with a newfound self-belief and zest to go the extra mile, Vidarbha scripted a new chapter in the region&#39;s cricket history by winning their maiden Ranji Trophy, comfortably defeating Delhi by nine wickets in the final&nbsp;today.

Set a measly 29 for victory, Vidarbha completed the formality in just five overs at the Holkar Stadium that had welcomed with open arms the family members of the cricketers, including skipper Faiz Fazal&#39;s.

After Wasim Jaffer, one of the three professionals in the side, pulled Kulwant Khejroliya towards the fine leg boundary, the team broke into a joyous huddle, gave each other a bear hug and soon clicked with the trophy.

The victory chant followed as an elated Fazal hugged his mother took and held his daughter. The wife and sisters basked in Fazal&#39;s glory.

In between, there was a high five with his &quot;mom&quot;, before the triumphant captain looked for his father, who too stood there happily.

Mumbai veteran Jaffer pulled Khejroliya four times as the bowler banged in short. Winning the Ranji title is not new for Jaffer, as he has been a part of Mumbai&#39;s nine triumphs, but it was the first time he hit the winning runs.

That the tournament ended in a triumph for Fazal, who has been there for 15 seasons, was appropriate as he led the side from the front, scoring nearly 900 runs.

Opting to field after winning the toss, Vidarbha bowled out Delhi for 295 in the first innings with Man of the Match Rajneesh Gurbani picking up six wickets.

In reply, Vidarbha notched up a mammoth 547 all out as Akshay Wadkar struck his maiden century in first-class cricket. Overnight 528 for seven, with wicketkeeper Wadkar unbeaten on 133, Delhi quickly picked up the remaining three wickets in the morning.

Young pacer Navdeep Saini was the most successful bowler for Delhi, returning figures of 5 for 135 after bowling a marathon 36.3 overs.

Delhi were a bowler short through the Vidarbha first innings as left-arm spinner Manan Sharma remained off the field due to a knee injury. Manan, though, batted in the second innings.

In their second innings, Delhi were all out for 280, with Shorey scoring another half-century -- a 142-ball 62 -- while Nitish Rana struck 64.

Vidarbha chased down the target with plenty to spare at a stadium, which was hosting the title clash of the country&#39;s premier domestic tournament for the second successive time after playing host to Mumbai and Gujarat last season.

Trailing by 252 runs, Delhi lost opener Kunal Chandela with just 32 runs on the board. And a bigger blow was dealt on the seven-time winners when their most experienced campaigner, Gautam

Gambhir, in what looked like a debatable decision, was adjudged out lbw off Gurbani to a ball that seemed to be heading down the leg side.

The out-of-favour India opener looked in good touch during his quick 36 off 37 balls (32 coming in boundaries), and could have helped Delhi&#39;s cause had he stayed longer.

First-innings centurion Shorey and Rana then added 110 runs for the third wicket. They went to lunch at lunch 74 for two with Shorey and Rana combining well.

The second session saw Shorey and Rana playing freely, hitting some lovely drives and flicks. However, as the team score reached 164, Delhi lost Shorey, who was given a reprieve by Jaffer in first slip, to the left-arm spin of Aditya Sarwate.

Rana followed suit as he nicked the impressive Gurbani to Wadkar behind the stumps. Like in the first innings, Gurbani was again bowling his heart out and swung the new ball to good effect.

Himmat Singh, who had a fifty in the first essay, was bowled by off-spinner Akshay Wakhare before he could open his account.

And then came a reckless shot by skipper Rishabh Pant (32), an attempted heave off Siddhesh Neral leading to his dismissal as Delhi ran out of batting options. This was an over after Pant was let off by Wadkar, who missed an easy stumping chance.

A few lusty blows by Vikas Mishra and Akash Sudan helped Delhi to erase the deficit, make Vidarbha bat again and avoid the ignominy of being handed an innings defeat in the title clash.

For a change, Fazal got out early but Jaffer, who has been playing the role of mentor alongside coach Chandrakant Pandit for these youngsters with a bright future, was there to guide the side home.&nbsp;

Vidarbha scripted a new chapter in the region's cricket history by winning their maiden Ranji Trophy, comfortably defeating Delhi by nine wickets in the final today

Armed with a newfound self-belief and zest to go the extra mile, Vidarbha scripted a new chapter in the region's cricket history by winning their maiden Ranji Trophy, comfortably defeating Delhi by nine wickets in the final today. Set a measly 29 for victory, Vidarbha completed the formality in just five overs at the Holkar Stadium that had welcomed with open arms the family members of the cricketers, including skipper Faiz Fazal's. After Wasim Jaffer, one of the three professionals in the side, pulled Kulwant Khejroliya towards the fine leg boundary, the team broke into a joyous huddle, gave each other a bear hug and soon clicked with the trophy. The victory chant followed as an elated Fazal hugged his mother took and held his daughter. The wife and sisters basked in Fazal's glory. In between, there was a high five with his "mom", before the triumphant captain looked for his father, who too stood there happily. Mumbai veteran Jaffer pulled Khejroliya four times as the bowler banged in short. Winning the Ranji title is not new for Jaffer, as he has been a part of Mumbai's nine triumphs, but it was the first time he hit the winning runs. That the tournament ended in a triumph for Fazal, who has been there for 15 seasons, was appropriate as he led the side from the front, scoring nearly 900 runs. Opting to field after winning the toss, Vidarbha bowled out Delhi for 295 in the first innings with Man of the Match Rajneesh Gurbani picking up six wickets. In reply, Vidarbha notched up a mammoth 547 all out as Akshay Wadkar struck his maiden century in first-class cricket. Overnight 528 for seven, with wicketkeeper Wadkar unbeaten on 133, Delhi quickly picked up the remaining three wickets in the morning. Young pacer Navdeep Saini was the most successful bowler for Delhi, returning figures of 5 for 135 after bowling a marathon 36.3 overs. Delhi were a bowler short through the Vidarbha first innings as left-arm spinner Manan Sharma remained off the field due to a knee injury. Manan, though, batted in the second innings. In their second innings, Delhi were all out for 280, with Shorey scoring another half-century -- a 142-ball 62 -- while Nitish Rana struck 64. Vidarbha chased down the target with plenty to spare at a stadium, which was hosting the title clash of the country's premier domestic tournament for the second successive time after playing host to Mumbai and Gujarat last season. Trailing by 252 runs, Delhi lost opener Kunal Chandela with just 32 runs on the board. And a bigger blow was dealt on the seven-time winners when their most experienced campaigner, Gautam Gambhir, in what looked like a debatable decision, was adjudged out lbw off Gurbani to a ball that seemed to be heading down the leg side. The out-of-favour India opener looked in good touch during his quick 36 off 37 balls (32 coming in boundaries), and could have helped Delhi's cause had he stayed longer. First-innings centurion Shorey and Rana then added 110 runs for the third wicket. They went to lunch at lunch 74 for two with Shorey and Rana combining well. The second session saw Shorey and Rana playing freely, hitting some lovely drives and flicks. However, as the team score reached 164, Delhi lost Shorey, who was given a reprieve by Jaffer in first slip, to the left-arm spin of Aditya Sarwate. Rana followed suit as he nicked the impressive Gurbani to Wadkar behind the stumps. Like in the first innings, Gurbani was again bowling his heart out and swung the new ball to good effect. Himmat Singh, who had a fifty in the first essay, was bowled by off-spinner Akshay Wakhare before he could open his account. And then came a reckless shot by skipper Rishabh Pant (32), an attempted heave off Siddhesh Neral leading to his dismissal as Delhi ran out of batting options. This was an over after Pant was let off by Wadkar, who missed an easy stumping chance. A few lusty blows by Vikas Mishra and Akash Sudan helped Delhi to erase the deficit, make Vidarbha bat again and avoid the ignominy of being handed an innings defeat in the title clash. For a change, Fazal got out early but Jaffer, who has been playing the role of mentor alongside coach Chandrakant Pandit for these youngsters with a bright future, was there to guide the side home.

Gutsy Vidarbha claim maiden Ranji title

Parthiv Patel scored a crucial fourth-innings 143 to help his team Gujarat beat heavyweights Mumbai by five wickets&nbsp;to lift their maiden Ranji Trophy title on Saturday.

Chasing 313 in the fourth innings, Gujarat were tottering at 89 for three before Gujarat skipper Patel and Manprit Juneja stitched a 116-run&nbsp;partnership to thwart Mumbai&#39;s attempt to win their 42nd title.

Patel had&nbsp;a memorable summit clash as he scored a 90 in the first innings, pouched seven on the field and capped it off with a 143.

Patel, who was adjudged the man of the match, said:&nbsp;&quot;It (winning the Ranji Trophy) was a dream we collectively saw at the beginning of the season.&quot;

He also praised his young team, who were without paceman Jasprit Bumrah and Axar Patel, in the final for &quot;putting their hand up in big games&quot;.&nbsp;

The last few months have been very successful for the baby-faced Patel, who became cricket&#39;s youngest test wicketkeeper when he made his debut as a 17-year-old against England in 2002.

He ended his test side exile after more than eight years in November when he was recalled for the last three matches against a touring England, replacing injured regular Wriddhiman Saha behind the stumps.

He was impressive with the bat upon his recall, scoring two half-centuries as India won the five-match series 4-0.

Gujarat had started the match strongly by bowling out Mumbai for 228 in the first innings, getting a 100-run lead when they came to bat. But Mumbai, who have been the dominant team in the domestic championship for decades, pulled themselves back in the match by setting their opponents a stiff target to chase.&nbsp;

Mumbai, spearheaded by Abhishek Nayar&#39;s swashbuckling 90 and Shreyas Iyer&#39;s 82, gave the reigning champions another tilt at the trophy.

But Patel&#39;s century, who was helped by Mumbai&#39;s shoddy catching, laid rest to Mumbai&#39;s dream of lifting another title. This was Mumbai&#39;s just fifth loss in 46 Ranji Trophy final appearances, the last time being way back in 1990-91 when Haryana beat them by 2 runs.

Scorecard: Mumbai 1st innings 228 (P Shaw 71), Gujarat 1st innings 328 (Patel 90, M Juneja 77, S Thakur 4/84), Mumbai 2nd innings 411 (S Iyer 82, A Nayar 91, C Gaja 6/121), Gujarat 2nd innings 313/5 (Patel 143).&nbsp;Gujarat won by 5 wickets.

(WION)

Gujarat captain Parthiv Patel cracked 143 to help his team break Mumbai's resolve by five wickets

Parthiv Patel scored a crucial fourth-innings 143 to help his team Gujarat beat heavyweights Mumbai by five wickets to lift their maiden Ranji Trophy title on Saturday. Chasing 313 in the fourth innings, Gujarat were tottering at 89 for three before Gujarat skipper Patel and Manprit Juneja stitched a 116-run partnership to thwart Mumbai's attempt to win their 42nd title. Patel had a memorable summit clash as he scored a 90 in the first innings, pouched seven on the field and capped it off with a 143. Patel, who was adjudged the man of the match, said: "It (winning the Ranji Trophy) was a dream we collectively saw at the beginning of the season." He also praised his young team, who were without paceman Jasprit Bumrah and Axar Patel, in the final for "putting their hand up in big games". The last few months have been very successful for the baby-faced Patel, who became cricket's youngest test wicketkeeper when he made his debut as a 17-year-old against England in 2002. He ended his test side exile after more than eight years in November when he was recalled for the last three matches against a touring England, replacing injured regular Wriddhiman Saha behind the stumps. He was impressive with the bat upon his recall, scoring two half-centuries as India won the five-match series 4-0. Gujarat had started the match strongly by bowling out Mumbai for 228 in the first innings, getting a 100-run lead when they came to bat. But Mumbai, who have been the dominant team in the domestic championship for decades, pulled themselves back in the match by setting their opponents a stiff target to chase. Mumbai, spearheaded by Abhishek Nayar's swashbuckling 90 and Shreyas Iyer's 82, gave the reigning champions another tilt at the trophy. But Patel's century, who was helped by Mumbai's shoddy catching, laid rest to Mumbai's dream of lifting another title. This was Mumbai's just fifth loss in 46 Ranji Trophy final appearances, the last time being way back in 1990-91 when Haryana beat them by 2 runs. Scorecard: Mumbai 1st innings 228 (P Shaw 71), Gujarat 1st innings 328 (Patel 90, M Juneja 77, S Thakur 4/84), Mumbai 2nd innings 411 (S Iyer 82, A Nayar 91, C Gaja 6/121), Gujarat 2nd innings 313/5 (Patel 143). Gujarat won by 5 wickets. (WION)

Ranji Trophy: Gujarat beat Mumbai to win maiden domestic cricket championship

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the governing body of cricket in the country, may suspend Ranji Trophy as current board officials may be superseded as per Lodha Committee recommendations.

The country&#39;s premier first-class cricket tournament, which is into its third day, may be discontinued as state associations have complained about paucity of funds.

&quot;There is every possibility that Ranji Trophy may be stopped from the third day itself. If the board is not there, how can the matches be organised in such a&nbsp;scenario. And it&#39;s not only Ranji Trophy which is blue riband tournament. It also consists of Senior and Junior Women&#39;s championship, our U-23, U-19 and U-16 championships. You need funds to carry out these BCCI matches smoothly,&quot; a well-informed source told PTI, an Indian news agency.

&quot;If Lodha Committee, which is headed by former CJI, can&#39;t force the members to accept the recommendations, do you think it is possible for the BCCI president to forcefully make them implement the resolutions. Yes, the Ranji Trophy is in a limbo,&quot; the source further said.

This comes three days after Lodha Committee, a panel set up to bring about administrative changes in the BCCI, had directed banks the board has accounts with to stop disbursing &quot;large&quot; amounts to state associations.

BCCI had also planned to scrap the third Test match between India and New Zealand after it feared of having their bank accounts frozen. The Lodha panel later clarified that funds for international matches won&#39;t be stopped.

&ldquo;The panel has not asked BCCI to stop funds for routine matters. We&rsquo;ve asked BCCI to stop giving large funds to state associations,&rdquo; Justice RM Lodha had told ANI.

The matter of disbursal of funds is currently being reviewed by India&#39;s Supreme Court. A ruling regarding this will be taken by the court today (October 7).&nbsp;

The Lodha panel&#39;s directive about not disbursing funds to state associations had come after the BCCI chose not to implement some of the recommendations it had made.

The panel had asked the BCCI to make a series of changes, including age limit of 70 years for all office bearers, a tenure limit of nine years with a cooling off period and the one-state-one-vote policy, among others.&nbsp;

Ranji Trophy is a domestic first-class cricket competition played between various state associations that come under the BCCI. Players who perform well in this tournament are in the fray to play for the Indian team.

(WION)

State associations have said they don't have money to organise Ranji Trophy matches after Lodha panel's restriction on funds

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the governing body of cricket in the country, may suspend Ranji Trophy as current board officials may be superseded as per Lodha Committee recommendations. The country's premier first-class cricket tournament, which is into its third day, may be discontinued as state associations have complained about paucity of funds. "There is every possibility that Ranji Trophy may be stopped from the third day itself. If the board is not there, how can the matches be organised in such a scenario. And it's not only Ranji Trophy which is blue riband tournament. It also consists of Senior and Junior Women's championship, our U-23, U-19 and U-16 championships. You need funds to carry out these BCCI matches smoothly," a well-informed source told PTI, an Indian news agency. "If Lodha Committee, which is headed by former CJI, can't force the members to accept the recommendations, do you think it is possible for the BCCI president to forcefully make them implement the resolutions. Yes, the Ranji Trophy is in a limbo," the source further said. This comes three days after Lodha Committee, a panel set up to bring about administrative changes in the BCCI, had directed banks the board has accounts with to stop disbursing "large" amounts to state associations. BCCI had also planned to scrap the third Test match between India and New Zealand after it feared of having their bank accounts frozen. The Lodha panel later clarified that funds for international matches won't be stopped. “The panel has not asked BCCI to stop funds for routine matters. We’ve asked BCCI to stop giving large funds to state associations,” Justice RM Lodha had told ANI. The matter of disbursal of funds is currently being reviewed by India's Supreme Court. A ruling regarding this will be taken by the court today (October 7). The Lodha panel's directive about not disbursing funds to state associations had come after the BCCI chose not to implement some of the recommendations it had made. The panel had asked the BCCI to make a series of changes, including age limit of 70 years for all office bearers, a tenure limit of nine years with a cooling off period and the one-state-one-vote policy, among others. Ranji Trophy is a domestic first-class cricket competition played between various state associations that come under the BCCI. Players who perform well in this tournament are in the fray to play for the Indian team. (WION)

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