With two innings victories against Railways and Chandigarh, Tamil Nadu coach Sulakshan Kulkarni feels that his team is “peaking at the right time” in its ongoing Ranji Trophy campaign.
Speaking on the eve of Tamil Nadu’s fifth-round Ranji Trophy match versus Goa, he said: “The best part in the last three (completed) games was that we got twenty wickets in all the matches. So, with that department, I’m very happy.
“Now, batting, where we were struggling, last match we scored a 600, before that we almost scored 500, so that department is also getting better. Also, in the last two matches, we took some brilliant catches. So, all in all, we are getting into that right rhythm. And I think we are peaking at the right time.”
Tamil Nadu captain Sai Kishore was wary that his team shouldn’t get complacent and carry on playing the same confetti-deserving cricket.
The coach echoed the same thought too. Consistency is his philosophy. He shared an anecdote from his Ranji Trophy days with Mumbai to convey what he’s trying to inculcate in the current Tamil Nadu squad.
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“We (Mumbai) had won the Ranji Trophy after ten years in 1993-94. After winning the next season as well, Sachin Tendulkar (then captain) told us: ‘Yes, happy that we’ve won, but we should not stop here. For us to be called the real champion, we should win 6-7 times in the next ten years!’”
Sulakshan said he’s always been communicating this in his own words to his wards. “When you are doing well, make the most of it. It will help you in the rainy days. This is my slogan for Tamil Nadu.”
Both the coach and the captain said that the team is most likely to go in with three pacers - Sandeep Warrier, Kuldeep Sen, and M. Mohammed - for the match beginning on Friday at the Goa Cricket Association (GCA) Academy ground.
“It’s a black soil wicket. A sporting wicket. Grass cover is there. Hundred percent, a result-oriented wicket,” said the coach.
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