Kanitkar gung-ho about title chances

Every season before the team starts its quest for a shot at the Ranji Trophy, fans, by force of habit, expect it to end the nearly three-decade-long-wait for a third Ranji title. 

And you can’t fault them for not being realistic in their expectations as Chennai is home to one of the best-run leagues in the country. What has made the fans wilt under that ‘wait’ is that in these nearly 30 years of title drought, Tamil Nadu, after expertly navigating its way past the early hurdles, has fallen flat at the final step on six occasions. 

Tamil Nadu’s success graph seems to have gone on an upward trajectory with the appointment of former India player Hrishikesh Kanitkar as coach last season. Having guided the team to a semi-final place in his first season, the 42-year-old feels this squad has the wherewithal to add the champion’s tag to its name. 

Kanitkar reserved high words of praise for left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore. “I’m happy with how he is evolving as a player. 

He has shown remarkable improvement in the last 12 months. He has worked a lot on his fitness. He has also honed his skills in working out different ways to get a batsman out. I never doubted his talent. He has really put in the hard yards in the off-season,” said Kanitkar.

What pleased Kanitkar the most was how there were options aplenty for every position, something Tamil Nadu sorely lacked in the years gone by. “We have two Test regulars in R Ashwin and M Vijay for our opening match. That will help our cause enormously. We have set high standards last season and that is something we would want to repeat. I’m happy with the set of players we have,” added the coach. 

While admitting that the injury-enforced absence of the two premier fast bowlers in T Natarajan and Aswin Crist will be felt, Kanitkar hoped that in K Vignesh and V Lakshman, it has found suitable reserves. “They (Vignesh and Lakshman) are prepared. We knew Natarajan and Aswin would be out for some time. The other fast bowlers deserve their place in the team and they can deliver,” said Kanitkar. 

Another player, who was the recipient of the coach’s approbation, is the ever-improving teenager MS Washington Sundar. “He has loads of self-belief, which is his biggest strength. He is not concerned about who he is playing against and is not daunted by the level of cricket he is playing. He does what he knows he can do,” remarked Kanitkar.