Mumbai coach Chandrakant Pandit says visiting tourists will not be easy meat for Team India
Chandrakant Pandit
Not often do state teams play touring outfits away from home. Before kicking off their 2016-17 Ranji Trophy campaign against Tamil Nadu at Lahli (the venue famous for Sachin Tendulkar’s last first-class game in 2013) next month, Mumbai got slated to play the New Zealanders in their tour opener at the Kotla in Delhi.
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Not the first time
The occurrence is not a first for Mumbai coach Chandrakant Pandit. He was part of the playing XI when his side played Allan Border’s Australians in a tour game at Gwalior 30 Septembers ago and remembers that 1986 game with pride. “The Australians scored 500-plus and we were struggling at 153 for five after which Sandeep Patil and myself put on 137 for the sixth wicket. I remember Sandeep Patil insisting I settle down and then go for my shots. Once I did that, I hooked and pulled against a pace attack of Craig McDermott, Bruce Reid, who were hell bent in making best use of the side game,” Pandit told mid-day after the opening day’s play of the New Zealand vs Mumbai game at Delhi yesterday. “That 101 put me in the right frame of mind for the Test series for which I was picked and played the Tied Test as a batsman before Kiran More fell ill.”
Tough bunch of cricketers
Pandit reckoned the present New Zealanders are a tough bunch and stressed India will have to play very well to beat them in the forthcoming three-Test series. “They look very focused, determined and aggressive. They made full use of their opportunities and I liked what I saw from left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner and of course Trent Boult and Neil Wagner,” said Pandit, who hoped his side bat well against the Kiwis after Jay Bista was caught behind off Boult for a duck. “It is a typical Kotla wicket with low bounce. We ended up with 29 for one, but our guys were positive in their approach as well,” said Pandit.
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