Mumbai captain Ajinkya Rahane has emphasized the importance of valuing local and low-profile coaches in domestic cricket, while criticizing “flashy coaches.” Rahane’s comments come ahead of Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy final against Vidarbha, where both teams have benefited from the guidance of unheralded coaches.
Rahane praised Mumbai’s coach Omkar Salvi, a former bowling coach for Mumbai and Kolkata Knight Riders, for his dedication and attention to detail. He also highlighted the success of Vidarbha’s coach Usman Ghani, a former stalwart of the team.
“It’s really good to have a coach like Omkar 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.
Rahane believes that low-profile coaches often give more importance to players and provide them with the freedom to express themselves. He cited the example of Vidarbha’s coach, who has helped the team develop a strong foundation at the grassroots level.
“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,” Rahane said.
While Rahane acknowledged Vidarbha’s strength as an opponent, Vidarbha captain Akshay Wadkar attributed his team’s success to its depth at the grassroots level. He pointed to the team’s recent triumphs in the CK Nayudu Trophy and the under-19 title as evidence of its strong development program.
“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,” he added.
Wadkar expressed confidence that Vidarbha would not be intimidated by the big-match pressure of the Ranji Trophy final. He emphasized the team’s determination to beat a formidable opponent like Mumbai.
“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,” Wadkar said.
