Ranji Trophy 2023-24 Final: Rahane bats for ‘low-profile’ coaches in domestic cricket, says they ‘give importance to players’

While Omkar Salvi has excelled in keeping Mumbai’s mission to regain the Ranji Trophy, Vidarbha has also fared well with Usman Ghani, the former stalwart, in charge.

FILE PHOTO: Mumbai Captain Ajinkya Rahane with head coach Omkar Salvi. | Photo Credit: VIJAY SONEJI/The Hindu

Ajinkya Rahane, the Mumbai captain, has stressed on valuing local and low-profile coaches in domestic cricket while taking a dig at “flashy coaches”.

“It is really good to have a coach like Omkar (Salvi) with us. It shows that you don’t need high-profile or flashy coaches to be around the team. You can still be under the radar. You can still stay low-profile and get the best out of each and every player,” Rahane said here on Saturday, ahead of Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy final against Vidarbha, starting Sunday.

While Omkar Salvi – the former bowling coach of Mumbai and Kolkata Knight Riders – has excelled in keeping Mumbai’s mission to regain the Ranji Trophy, Vidarbha has also fared well with Usman Ghani, the former stalwart, in charge.

“Omkar was with Mumbai team before earlier, but in a different role. Now, as the head coach, the work he has done with every player, the amount of attention he has given to each and every player has been amazing,” Rahane said.

“Even the Vidarbha coach, he is also very low-profile, so it’s good to have low-profile coaches. They give importance to players. They give freedom to the players. It’s a good sign for Indian cricket coaches. Even low-profile coaches can do the job for their team.”

While Rahane stressed the team respected Vidarbha as an opposition, Vidarbha captain Akshay Wadkar attributed Vidarbha’s performance to its depth at the grassroots level.

“When we won the Ranji Trophy in 2017-18, we had won CK Nayudu Trophy prior to that, and even before that we had lifted the under 19-title, so those under-19 and under-23 players are now graduating to the Ranji Trophy,” Wadkar said.

“Everyone comes up the ranks through performance. If we have done well in the last 10 years, it is because we have done well in all age groups.”

Wadkar was confident Vidarbha will not wilt under the big-match pressure.

“It’s a special game for us. Any final is special, particularly the Ranji final, and more so against 41-times champion. We look at this as a good opportunity to beat a big side,” he said.