Administrators don't forget easily. But the Mumbai Cricket Association, despite not being in the best of form recently, have played it right and fair by appointing Ajit Agarkar as captain of the Mumbai team.
Administrators don't forget easily. But the Mumbai Cricket Association, despite not being in the best of form recently, have played it right and fair by appointing Ajit Agarkar as captain of the Mumbai team.
Agarkar, remember, returned home from Cuttack earlier in the season when he discovered that he was not part of the Mumbai playing XI against Orissa. Expectedly, his move did not earn universal approve in Mumbai's cricketing fraternity.
One former Mumbai captain pointed to the fact that stalwarts like Eknath Solkar and Ashok Mankad were subjected to ruthless selection. But times have changed and Agarkar was convinced that he was dropped even before the team set foot on eastern shores.
u00a0One learns that it was chief selector Milind Rege who initiated a meeting on February 6 between Agarkar and some leading officials of the MCA to sort things out. Rege did well. Ditto Agarkar, to respond positively. The association's overall broad-minded thinking too needs appreciation.
u00a0It may be wrong to assume that all problems are ironed out with MCA's latest move, but at least people concerned have shown intentions in moving ahead. In modern-day cricket, captain-coach relationships have become vital for success. Hence, Agarkar and coach Sulakshan Kulkarni must work well together if Mumbai are to hit the high notes in the forthcoming one-dayers.
Agarkar can bring to the fore all his international experience and that includes three 50-50 World Cups and one Twenty20 World Cup. How many associations can claim to have a captain of such experience?
u00a0In some ways, it is a win-win situation for Mumbai unless another controversy is round the corner.
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