Dream comes true for Kanitkar
HYDERABAD: The biggest moment of his life was January 15 this year when he lifted the Ranji Trophy as captain of the winning side. After 16 years of toil in first-class cricket, Hrishikesh Hemant Kanitkar's dream of winning the Ranji Trophy came true when he led underdogs Rajasthan to their maiden win.
It has been the most remarkable journey for the 36-year-old left-handed batsman. Son of Hemant Kanitkar, who played two Tests for India in the 1974-75 season, the Maharashtra-lad was always considered India material. A gutsy left-hand middle-order batsman, an accurate off-spinner and a brilliant fieldsman, Kanitkar, who was flown halfway round the world from West Indies, where he was leading the India A team, to represent the Indian team in Australia as a replacement for Ajay Jadeja, was not able to find a regular place in the side despite a couple of good performances.
Kanitkar, whose name will forever be linked with his winning boundary off Saqlain Mushtaq in fading light in India's memorable victory over Pakistan at Dhaka in January 1998 when the team chased a 300 plus target in the Independence Cup final, feels that the Ranji triumph is right up there. "It was definitely one of the things I wanted to do in my career. In fact, it is as big as anything I have achieved. Yes, it is as big as the boundary," he had remarked in an earlier interview.
Born in the era of Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman, Kanitkar did get his share of opportunities to make it big but somehow he failed to make the grade. Noted motivational writer Napolean Hill had remarked, "What if you have failed in the past? So, at one time did every man we recognize as a towering success. They called it temporary defeat." This could hold very true for Kanitkar.
After representing Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy, Kanitkar moved to Rajasthan this season and it seems as if he cast a spell on the team. Right from the first day of the season, Rajasth! an looke d a changed side though they had a couple of youngsters in their ranks. The experienced trio of Kanitkar, Aakash Chopra and RR Parida gelled with the youngsters and showed them the way to succeed.
Rajasthan were hungrier for success and Kanitkar with his vast experience was able to tap the very best out of his players. Getting people from a different culture to perform wasn't easy. Usually a reserved person who does not speak much, Kanitkar made a conscious effort to be approachable. "I was willing to respect their space. I was willing to talk to them when they needed it, but also gave them a choice to say yes or no if something I said did not work for them. For me, ego does not come into it. If I tell somebody something and he does not accept it, I am fine with that. It creates a very good relationship. They don't expect me to get angry with them if they don't follow what I say. My nature worked very well for myself and for the boys," he remarked.
Over the years, Kanitkar has learnt to let people make errors, and that is the approach he adopted with the Rajasthan players. "The whole idea of being a professional player was to help youngsters and to build the team. In that sense I have been successful as Rajasthan have done exceptionally well this season," he had told ToI on Tuesday. "But the success is not only because of the three of us (Chopra, Parida and Kanitkar) but because every member of the team contributed. It was team work that helped Rajasthan come on top this season and each one of the players deserved credit for all the hard work," said an ever modest Kanitkar.
It has been the most remarkable journey for the 36-year-old left-handed batsman. Son of Hemant Kanitkar, who played two Tests for India in the 1974-75 season, the Maharashtra-lad was always considered India material. A gutsy left-hand middle-order batsman, an accurate off-spinner and a brilliant fieldsman, Kanitkar, who was flown halfway round the world from West Indies, where he was leading the India A team, to represent the Indian team in Australia as a replacement for Ajay Jadeja, was not able to find a regular place in the side despite a couple of good performances.
Kanitkar, whose name will forever be linked with his winning boundary off Saqlain Mushtaq in fading light in India's memorable victory over Pakistan at Dhaka in January 1998 when the team chased a 300 plus target in the Independence Cup final, feels that the Ranji triumph is right up there. "It was definitely one of the things I wanted to do in my career. In fact, it is as big as anything I have achieved. Yes, it is as big as the boundary," he had remarked in an earlier interview.
Born in the era of Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman, Kanitkar did get his share of opportunities to make it big but somehow he failed to make the grade. Noted motivational writer Napolean Hill had remarked, "What if you have failed in the past? So, at one time did every man we recognize as a towering success. They called it temporary defeat." This could hold very true for Kanitkar.
After representing Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy, Kanitkar moved to Rajasthan this season and it seems as if he cast a spell on the team. Right from the first day of the season, Rajasth! an looke d a changed side though they had a couple of youngsters in their ranks. The experienced trio of Kanitkar, Aakash Chopra and RR Parida gelled with the youngsters and showed them the way to succeed.
Rajasthan were hungrier for success and Kanitkar with his vast experience was able to tap the very best out of his players. Getting people from a different culture to perform wasn't easy. Usually a reserved person who does not speak much, Kanitkar made a conscious effort to be approachable. "I was willing to respect their space. I was willing to talk to them when they needed it, but also gave them a choice to say yes or no if something I said did not work for them. For me, ego does not come into it. If I tell somebody something and he does not accept it, I am fine with that. It creates a very good relationship. They don't expect me to get angry with them if they don't follow what I say. My nature worked very well for myself and for the boys," he remarked.
Over the years, Kanitkar has learnt to let people make errors, and that is the approach he adopted with the Rajasthan players. "The whole idea of being a professional player was to help youngsters and to build the team. In that sense I have been successful as Rajasthan have done exceptionally well this season," he had told ToI on Tuesday. "But the success is not only because of the three of us (Chopra, Parida and Kanitkar) but because every member of the team contributed. It was team work that helped Rajasthan come on top this season and each one of the players deserved credit for all the hard work," said an ever modest Kanitkar.
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