Dropped Mumbai batting stalwart Amol Muzumdar refuses to give in
Hard done by: After being a regular in Mumbai's Ranji team, former Mumbai skipper Amol Muzumdar was dropped for the final against Uttar Pradesh. pic/Atul Kamble
Dropped Mumbai batting stalwart Amol Muzumdar refuses to give in
Sachin Tendulkar has been a permanent member of the Indian team whenever fit since he made his Test debut 19 years ago. Similarly, ever since his mammoth 260 in his maiden first-class tie in February 1994, which still remains the best score by a debutant in the history of first-class cricket, the master's Shardashram Vidya Mandir teammate Amol Muzumdar has been a perpetual member of Mumbai's team for the last 16 seasons.
Not anymore.
Muzumdar, the wall of their batting middle order, was dropped from the playing XI for Mumbai's ongoing Ranji Trophy final against Uttar Pradesh. This was the first time in his career that the veteran was not part of the XI.
One would think a player of Muzumdar's stature, someone who is just 31 runs shy of becoming the highest run-getter in the history of the Ranji Trophy would be sitting in the confines of the dressing room, probably sulking after his exclusion, occasionally ordering the juniors to perform the duties of the reserves.
Sleepless night
But that's not the way he has learnt his cricket. He did have a sleepless night when coach Praveen Amre told him about the decision on the eve of the game, but the 34-year-old has been as involved in the game from the sidelines as he has been throughout his career. Moreover, he has been doing everything that a bencher is supposed to do.
"The involvement with Mumbai's cricket is completely natural. You can easily make out my feelings if you can read my face correctly," Muzumdar, who served drinks to his teammates apart from fielding for the ill Sachin Tendulkar in UP's first innings, told MiD DAY in a freewheeling chat yesterday. "I think I've done my best. I have been completely involved. The team's cause is of utmost importance. I have learnt it as a player first and then as skipper."
But that obviously didn't mean the man with 144 first-class caps, including seven Ranji finals, to his name wasn't disappointed. "You have to experience everything in life," Muzumdar said with his trademark mischievous smile. "Obviously, not finding a place in the side is a little disappointing. There is no question about it. I would be lying if I say 'No it's alright'. But I fully accept what the management's decided. I understand their point of view. I have been in this position as a skipper. I know that decisions taken are in the best interests of the team."
Obviously Muzumdar was referring to Nilesh Kulkarni's exclusion from the team for the 2006-07 final. "I think it's a completely different situation. What happened with Nilesh was in a different background. It was a different time, different situation. But I accepted this as positively as I could."
All over again
Obviously, when someone as experienced as Muzumdar is dropped from the side after having a season that he referred to as "not a typical one," one wonders whether he can rejuvenate himself and start all over again.
"First and foremost, I need to find my place back. I know that I'll have to work hard. And I will try my best to get it back," Muzumdar said.
"After 16 years if you lose your place, you need to have motivation and a pushback. But I'll have to do it somehow. I need to do it myself. I have enjoyed every bit of the challenge all these years. And probably uparwala wahi chahta hai that I need to motivate myself all over again.
"I'll have to find a routine or something which will really push me hard and I am sure I'll be able to do it in a month's time."
Has the R-word ever crossed his mind after a poor season and losing his place in the side? The articulate veteran who was thinking long and hard, carefully phrasing his replies for a better part of the chat, shot back instantaneously: "Not yet... Not yet. In India when there isu00a0 a tidal wave, people tend to think it's Tsunami," he said. "Anil Kumble has retired, Ganguly has retired, chalo lag jaao, kisi aur ke peechhe lag jaao. And that happens only in India. I don't blame anybody for it.
"It's a season of retirements. Yesterday Matthew Hayden has retired. So probably you guys would want whoever has played long, toh laga do uske upar. I know that's a tidal wave. I still have cricket left in me. I want to be there again."
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