20 March,2009 11:11 AM IST | | Anand I Naik
Mumbai cricket has, in numbers, produced batsmen and pace bowlers who have gone on to make the country proud. But one thing that has been lacking in Mumbai cricket is the dearth of quality spinners, especially of the left-arm variety.
Only names like Padmakar Shivalkar and Nilesh Kulkarni come to mind. In recent times though, Shivalkar has had plenty of reason to smile. And it has a lot to do with Shivaji Park Gymkhana youngsters Gaurav Jathar and Harmeet Singh.
Both left-arm spinners, Jathar will travel with the India U-19 side to Australia next month while Harmeet is on stand by. Both players were felicitated by the club yesterday. Harmeet was also declared the best player of the season.
And Shivalkar, who played for SPG, is happy not just for the laurels they have brought to the club, but the Mumbai chief selector sees big promise in both the spinners.
Big potential
"Mumbai has lacked quality left-armers and these two have the potential to fill that gap. The biggest quality about these two is that they are bowlers who are more suited to the longer version of the game," Shivalkar said.
"They have the loop and guile to deceive batsmen in flight and that is a spinner's biggest strength. These two are capable of doing that. The other big advantage is that they have age on their side. They have climbed one step at a time and have learnt a lot. They still have a long way to go but it's good to know that we have players who have the talent to go a long way," Shivalkar added.
