‘High on individual talent’

Manjrekar,who was considered by many in the pre-Dravid era as India’s most solid batsman,may have looked guarded as he presented his patented straight-bat to all the deliveries he faced against former Mumbai teammates Raju Shirke and Ravi Thakker,the men responsible for the new facility. But the 43-year-old second-generation cricketer proved to be absolutely brazen about his praise for the Indian team’s historic triumph in New Zealand,referring to it as an amazing feat.

“It was a terrific performance and an absolutely excellent result. New Zealand has always proved to be a difficult place to tour for India,and winning there is extremely special,” he said,while adding that the present lot under Mahendra Singh Dhoni had really taken Indian cricket to the next level. “Under Dhoni we look a very united setup and have started winning against tough opposition. And over the last few years,India has also started posting a number of overseas wins,” revealed Manjrekar,who played 37 Tests and 74 ODIs for the country in a career that spanned nine years.

The pitches which were used in New Zealand,especially the ones for the three-match Test series,did raise a number of eyebrows,as batsmen on both sides managed to thrive on them. But Manjrekar believed that the docile nature of the wickets should in no way dampen the admiration for the Indian team’s performance against the Kiwis. “Both teams got to play on the same wicket,and the home side also had the opportunity of making use of those pitches. India clearly dominated the series and were deserved winners,” he explained.

The verdict may still be out on what it is that makes Dhoni the phenomenon really click,and Manjrekar believed that the almost infallible present Indian captain had a complete understanding of the game,which was chiefly responsible for his success. “He is extremely intelligent and has completely understood the way Indian cricket functions and the psyche surrounding it. He seems to take the right decisions on the field and obviously also has a very strong team under his leadership,” he revealed.

Almost expectedly the in-form Dhoni army may already have been heralded as the best Indian team ever by a number of experts,and Manjrekar insisted the present outfit possessed some of the most talented individual players of all time,who could win Tests all over the world.

Indoor Cricket Academy at Mulund
The latest indoor cricket centre at the Mulund Cricket Academy will be the first of its kind,as any budding cricketer in the city will have the opportunity to avail the facilities there. The only other indoor academy in the city is at the Mumbai Cricket Association’s (MCA) BKC ground,but only those players directly involved with Mumbai cricket,or hopeful youngsters with hopes of donning the Mumbai cap get the opportunity to train there.

BCCI’s Chief Administrative Officer Prof. Ratnakar Shetty lauded the new facility and the people responsible for it. “It will finally provide youngsters in the central suburbs to hone their skills,” he said.

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