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.
27 February,2024 05:46 PM IST | Mumbai
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.
27 October,2023 08:13 PM IST | Mumbai
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.
01 September,2023 07:48 PM IST | Mumbai
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.
07 April,2023 04:16 PM IST | Mumbai
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.
09 December,2022 06:53 PM IST | Mumbai
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.
10 November,2022 05:37 PM IST | Mumbai
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.
29 September,2022 05:32 PM IST | Mumbai
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.
02 September,2022 04:33 PM IST | Mumbai
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.
29 July,2022 05:48 PM IST | Mumbai
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.
30 April,2022 06:18 AM IST | MumbaiADVERTISEMENT
