Moving from Vidarbha to Mumbai in the early 1970s, leg-spinning all-rounder Rakesh Tandon quickly became a part of the city's cricketing ecosystem and Ranji Trophy team. His acumen was good enough for him to become the first captain of the formidable Nirlon team in 1977 before Sunil Gavaskar joined them the following year. Tandon was part of four Mumbai Ranji Trophy teams in 1972-73, 1974-75, 1975-76 and 1976-77.

Sachin Tendulkar's first senior division Kanga League captain, Hemant Kenkre, who represented Sassanian CC and Cricket Club of India (CCI) on the club scene, shares the story of his cricket journey which involved several seasons of the Kanga League, a tournament which is played in the monsoon months. Kenkre rubbed shoulders with the cream of Mumbai cricket in his premier division club cricket days with the CCI from the late 1970s to the early 1990s.

Starting his club cricket at Rajasthan Sports Club, for whom he got a hundred in the Kanga League, and graduating to Dadar Union Sporting Club, Sunil Gavaskar's local cricket journey was nothing short of memorable. Throw in his school and college cricket at the St Xavier's institutions and you’ll get a feel of Mumbai cricket's tapestry. The tough, ruthless and at times, not-so-fair world of city cricket is displayed in the form of a two-year gap between his two first-class games for Mumbai (1967-68 to 1969-70). But runs mattered finally, runs which became the main act in the Sunil Gavaskar story. This special episode of the Mumbai Cricket Podcast with Clayton Murzello, to coincide with Sunil Gavaskar turning 75 on July 10, is not to be missed.

A school cricket hero in 1974-75, Nakul Rege went on to play junior cricket for the city as well as represent the Bombay University team. He was a promising batsman and able leg-spinner, parading his skills for PJ Hindu Gymkhana, a team he was part of during their ‘A’ division Dr HD Kanga League triumph in 1981. Nakul talks about rubbing shoulders with the best names in Mumbai cricket and how he benefited from the likes of Test players Eknath Solkar and Ashok Mankad. In 1984, he migrated to the USA, from where he continues his love affair with cricket.

A keen interest in cricket saw a young Prof Shetty handle junior cricket affairs in city cricket, which earned him a post in the Mumbai Cricket Association managing committee in 1990.By 1996, he was the association's secretary, graduating soon to holding key positions in the BCCI. A sought-after and trusted administrator among present and former players, Shetty has gone down as one of the pillars of cricket administration in this country. Mumbai cricket is at the heart of his interests and he spells out why in this podcast.

From a young Ruia College student, itching to be a cricketer, Dr CT Patankar rose to be an India stumper, who impressed no less a personality than India's first Test captain CK Nayudu, in the 1950s. Despite being a fine wicketkeeper and sound batsman who could adjust to different situations, Patankar, the oldest living Mumbai-based Test player at 93, played only one Test and 10 Ranji games for Mumbai. He took things in his stride and moved to Maharashtra in 1966-67. At the age of 50, Patankar decided to do his PhD in Materials Management. In 1998, Patankar accompanied the Indian team on their Test and one-day tour to Zimbabwe.

Starting off as a leg-spinner and lower-order batsman in Pune, Milind Gunjal rose to become a key batsman for his state's Ranji team, Tata Sports Club and PJ Hindu Gymkhana on the Mumbai club scene. He rubbed shoulders with the best names in Mumbai cricket and came close to being picked for India's 1986 tour of England. He revisits his up and down first-class cricket journey which culminated with Maharashtra reaching the Ranji Trophy final against victors Punjab in 1992-93.

Runs by the tons at the junior level caused the Mumbai Ranji Trophy selectors to pick Pravin Amre as a teenager in 1986-87 for a knockout match. While he didn’t set Bangalore on fire in a lost game v Karnataka, he decided to shift to Railways on the advice of his coach Ramakant Achrekar. His new team provided no bed of roses, but he scored enough runs to be picked for India in 1991-92. The following year he got a Test debut ton against SA at Durban. A Mumbai return was part of his destiny and after ending his FC career with Goa, Amre took to coaching. Success as Mumbai coach decorates his cricketing CV, but donning the Mumbai coach's cap seems unlikely. In this podcast, Amre opens up on his struggles, highs and lows. His story is nothing short of inspirational.

Hailing from Dombivli, Nilesh Kulkarni worked his way up the ranks to represent Mumbai at the junior level before going on to become the Ranji Trophy team's go-to spin bowler, playing under the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Sanjay Manjrekar. He played a big role in several Ranji Trophy triumphs for Mumbai, but the 1996-97 one, whose final was played under floodlights in Gwalior, will remain special. As will the wicket of Sri Lanka's Marvan Atapattu off his very first ball in Test cricket in 1997. Kulkarni dwells on his beginnings, his Test career and how he was mentored by English fast bowling great Frank Tyson through a bowling scheme in the early 1990s. He also talks about how he made his post-cricket career meaningful by opening a management institute.

Choosing a career in cricket after leaving aside table-tennis and basketball, her other sporting passions, Mumbai-based Diana Edulji did the hard yards to end up playing cricket and captaining her country. She revisits her fascinating journey in which the proud moments outweighed the disappointing times. She also talks about her role in the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators to run BCCI for a few years. and what women's cricket needs to get back on track.

India's ex-wicketkeeper, Kiran More played domestic cricket for Baroda, but he came to Mumbai to be part of the inter-office and club cricket circuit. He talks about how inter-office matches were like wars between teams and attributes his India selection to the experience of 'keeping to Mumbai stalwart Padmakar Shivalkar in the Tata Sports Club side. More also dwells on his rivalry with friend and Mumbai stalwart Chandrakant Pandit, for a spot in the Indian team.

Mumbai's ex-batsman Jatin Paranjape turns back the clock to how he was introduced to the tough yet exciting world of Mumbai's club cricket by being part of the Dadar Union Sporting Club, before graduating to U-19 cricket for India and a Mumbai Ranji Trophy call-up. An ankle injury proved a spanner in the works a few games into his India ODI career in 1998, but doors opened in the corporate field before becoming a national selector, followed by a post in a BCCI committee to pick the current national selection committee.

Ex-Rajasthan's Mumbai-based spinner Suresh Shastri reveals that he was one of the first to emerge from the famous Ramakant Achrekar cricket stable and how he progressed every step of the way in the hard world of Mumbai and domestic cricket, playing with the best names on the circuit; his journey encompassing several games against touring teams in the 1970s.

Mumbai's wicketkeeper-batsman-turned coach Chandrakant Pandit opens up on how he could take his first steps in serious cricket thanks to his coach Ramakant Achrekar, who convinced his dad that he should pursue the game.Pandit, who also figured in the 1987 World Cup, reveals how he got his first leadership role on a train journey to Chennai for an inter-office tournament.

Former Mumbai opening batsman and captain Shishir Hattangadi talks about his eventful journey in the city's cricketing sphere and the mentors who showed him the way as he went about being one of the very few non-Test batters in the star-filled Mumbai team

Former India Test cricketer Kenia Jayantilal talks about the emergence of Sunil Gavaskar as a star in 1971 and how Dilip Sardesai infused the much-needed belief to beat the West Indies team in the Caribbean that year. Jayantilal also dwells on how he made Mumbai his home despite playing for Hyderabad in the Ranji Trophy; also his role in bringing about a revival in Mumbai cricket during the early 1990s.

Former India Test cricketer and 1979 World Cupper Yajurvindra Singh talks about how Mumbai cricket had a huge impact on his career even though he represented Maharastra and Saurashtra in the Ranji Trophy. His stints with Mahindra & Mahindra on the inter-office circuit and Jolly Cricketers in club cricket exposed him to the tough world of Mumbai cricket.

Balvinder Singh Sandhu, a member of India's 1983 World Cup-winning team, talks about his journey from spin to swing bowling, learning to perfect his craft by observing Kapil Dev, a statement from Sunil Gavaskar playing a role in him dismissing Gordon Greenidge in the World Cup final at Lord's and how Sachin Tendulkar's presence made everyone feel vibrant and confident in the Mumbai team that he coached.

Former first-class cricketer and chairman of Mumbai selectors, Milind Rege recounts his days when players were paid ₹5 for a Ranji Tophy match, the phenomenal sight of witnessing thousands of people walking behind Ramakant Desai at Marine Lines station, proposing Sachin Tendulkar's name for the Mumbai Ranji team and his sheer love for city even today.

Pradeep Sunderam, who claimed all 10 wickets in an innings for Rajasthan in the 1985-86 Ranji Trophy season, is a Mumbai cricket product. He talks about his exploits in the Kanga League and how Sunil Gavaskar displayed what commitment is by landing up at the ground a few hours after arriving from an international tour. Sunderam also reveals how he was not included in the Indian team at Leeds in 1986 despite being in England and a stand-by for that tour, when Chetan Sharma got injured. After his fast bowling career, he coached in Mumbai and Rajasthan.

Cricketer-turned-fitness trainer Vijay Alva talks about his journey which also included martial arts. He shares anecdotes about his highs and lows on the local cricket scene, training Sachin Tendulkar during the cricket great's tennis elbow rehab, being amongst cricketing greats like Sunil Gavaskar in the dressing room as a Mumbai Ranji Trophy probable, bowling to Ravi Shastri in college nets and remembering Karsan Ghavri walking in with red track pants to a ground.

Ravi Shastri, former captain of the Indian cricket team and until recently its head coach apart from being a popular commentator, talks about how it feels to turn 60, the difference between his playing and coaching career and the importance of being a student of the game all his life.

Former India pacer and current Team India bowling coach, Paras Mhambrey shares his cricket journey from playing inter-block matches at his Worli residential complex, bowling at Ramakant Achrekar nets to Sachin Tendulkar without knowing who he was bowling to, earning a Mumbai call-up and finally an India cap in 1996.

Former India and Mumbai all-rounder Karsan Ghavri in conversation with Clayton Murzello about his early days in Mumbai after arriving from Saurashtra in the early 1970s, the language barrier, playing cricket for the fun-loving Parsi Cyclists club, representing the strong ACC team and observing Tiger Pataudi as India captain. He also talks about the quality, loyalty, and values missing in Mumbai cricket today.

Sairaj Bahutule, a well accomplished former Mumbai all-rounder, talks about bowling to Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli during their world record 664-run partnership which also became the turning point of his career in 1988, how he got back to cricket after a bad road accident and his cricket-playing journey which resulted in an India Test cap during that epic 2001 test series against Australia.

Former Indian first-class cricketer who played for Bombay and Surrey County Cricket Club, Zubin Bharucha, gets candid about how he trained to be a Mumbai cricketer, the hard grind at club level and what it took to swim in the strict Mumbai school of cricket.He also shares anecdotes about his personal on-field experiences and how no other sportsperson can dominate their sport in the 17-23 age span the way Sachin Tendulkar did.

Vighnesh Shahane talks about how he fancied himself a future fast bowler more for his height than talent and the competitive nature of club and company cricket in his era. As a corporate personality now, he endorses the importance of a sound education no matter how much success a cricketer enjoys. Education, he says, should always be your anchor.

Former Mumbai and India player, Suru Nayak talks about how players learned from observing and listening to the commentator's comments, the time he bluffed Sachin Tendulkar, and the current generation's T20 mindset.

Raju Kulkarni, pace and swing bowler and former Ranji Trophy captain, narrates stories from his time on and off field, the Test debut against Australia in '86, his camaraderie with other legendary cricketers from his time and more.

Amol Muzumdar, Head Coach of India's Women's World Cup Team, talks about his cricketing highs, lows, a phenomenal 260 on his first-class debut for Bombay in 1993-94, and his experience of playing under some of the best names in Indian cricket - all spelt out in an anecdotal fashion.

Former Indian international cricketer and current chief selector of Mumbai Cricket Association, Salil Ankola gets candid about his cricket career, playing alongside legends like Sachin Tendulkar, and more.