Baroda youngsters make a mark despite Ranji loss
VADODARA: Though Baroda lost the Ranji Trophy finals against Rajasthan at Motibaug Ground on Saturday, but performance of the young players however gave a reason to smile. For, the team fielded eight players who were playing their first full-fledged season and still managed to reach the finals. Not many gave Baroda any chance when it started off this season without its star player Irfan Pathan. Though the team just had six experienced players including Yusuf Pathan, Ambati Rayudu, Pinal Shah, Munaf Patel and Connor Williams, some of them were not available for all the matches.
Yusuf and Munaf missed some of the league matches and even the semifinals as they were picked up for the ODI series against New Zealand and then for the ODI series against South Africa. The onus to perform was entirely on young captain Pinal Shah and his band of U-22 players with coach Mukesh Narula ensuring that boys gel together well as a team.
Narula's task was to keep the flock together and extract best performances from a team that had little experience of playing under pressure. But when the season started, Baroda threw up many surprises. There were a couple of discoveries in the form of both batsmen and bowlers.
If Bhargav Bhatt bagged 47 wickets in nine matches to become the season's highest wicket-taker, Kedar Devdhar and Jaikishan Kolsawala scored 499 runs in seven matches and 409 runs in nine matches. Baroda's search for opener after Jacob Martin ended with Kolsawala who proved himself as an able opening batsman. An experienced Williams guided him well throughout the season.
Kedar fitted well in number three position and exhibited tremendous confidence through a variety of strokes. He also hit his maiden century. "It has been tough to keep the young flock together and guiding them in every session. They are new and yet to develop the required temperament. But, the young squad proved that they can play good cricket under pressure. This team will go a long way and win many! more ma tches," said Narula who was appointed as a coach this season.
In the bowling department, Baroda had an inexperienced pace attack comprising Murtuza Vahora and Sankalp Vohra. The duo, though, complimented each other well and picked up 30 and 18 wickets, respectively.
"It is not a good feeling to lose in finals, but I think as a young squad we did well to reach at this stage. All members of our team performed well in crunch situations despite not having senior players around. A couple of more seasons and our team will be one of the best in the first-class circuit," said 23-year-old Baroda skipper Pinal Shah.
Yusuf and Munaf missed some of the league matches and even the semifinals as they were picked up for the ODI series against New Zealand and then for the ODI series against South Africa. The onus to perform was entirely on young captain Pinal Shah and his band of U-22 players with coach Mukesh Narula ensuring that boys gel together well as a team.
Narula's task was to keep the flock together and extract best performances from a team that had little experience of playing under pressure. But when the season started, Baroda threw up many surprises. There were a couple of discoveries in the form of both batsmen and bowlers.
If Bhargav Bhatt bagged 47 wickets in nine matches to become the season's highest wicket-taker, Kedar Devdhar and Jaikishan Kolsawala scored 499 runs in seven matches and 409 runs in nine matches. Baroda's search for opener after Jacob Martin ended with Kolsawala who proved himself as an able opening batsman. An experienced Williams guided him well throughout the season.
Kedar fitted well in number three position and exhibited tremendous confidence through a variety of strokes. He also hit his maiden century. "It has been tough to keep the young flock together and guiding them in every session. They are new and yet to develop the required temperament. But, the young squad proved that they can play good cricket under pressure. This team will go a long way and win many! more ma tches," said Narula who was appointed as a coach this season.
In the bowling department, Baroda had an inexperienced pace attack comprising Murtuza Vahora and Sankalp Vohra. The duo, though, complimented each other well and picked up 30 and 18 wickets, respectively.
"It is not a good feeling to lose in finals, but I think as a young squad we did well to reach at this stage. All members of our team performed well in crunch situations despite not having senior players around. A couple of more seasons and our team will be one of the best in the first-class circuit," said 23-year-old Baroda skipper Pinal Shah.
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