For the past few years, the only shine on the Ranji Trophy has come from the annual coat of polish the grand piece of silverware was given, around the time of the final. Then it was back in the glass cabinet, the tournament winners being handed out a replica. This year, though, there’s a more solid reason for Ranji to smile. The glasnost and perestroika in selection policies brought about by Greg Chappell and the selection committee means that every domestic player now has something to play for. No longer will he be resigned to season after season of slogging without any hope of recognition. Asked on Friday what message he had for those playing in the Ranji Trophy (which begins on Wednesday) this season, Chappell smiled an enigmatic smile and said: ‘‘They know what is expected of them.’’ Aakash Chopra, edged out of public consciousness by his statemates, certainly knows. ‘‘The new season will be the most important for me. I’ve played for India on the back of my performances earlier. Now that’s history, I have to start all over again.’’ There’s certainly a lot to play for given the packed international schedule ahead: Four Test series, four ODI series (excluding the current one) and, best of all, a chance to make a serious bid for Greg Chappell’s 2007 World Cup shortlist. And if Chappell continues with his flexibility plan, there’s enough scope for new faces. Sunil Gavaskar is one who’s bullish on the prospects of the season ahead. ‘‘These are times when, due to media coverage, if somebody shows promise in any part of India in any of the domestic tournaments, we are assured that their performances will not be overlooked.’’ Intikhab Alam, former Pakistan leg-spinner and current Punjab coach, agrees. ‘‘I think that’s the basic manner in which you choose your national team. It is the biggest motivating factor for anyone. Players who play regularly in the state sides are watched and then rewarded for their performances. This is your natural system and it has to flow that way.’’ Not that domestic performances have gone unnoticed; ask Venugopal Rao, JP Yadavs, MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, RP Singh. Just that it was more hit-and-pray; hit the great shot and pray that the selectors saw you in action. ‘‘Things couldn’t get better than this’’, says Baroda coach Anshuman Gaekwad. ‘‘We have players who made it to the team and did well there. But now with Chappell experimenting in a big way, trying to form a nucleus before the 2007 World Cup, it’s boom time.’’ ‘‘These are times when, due to media coverage, if somebody shows promise in any part of India in any of the domestic tournaments, we are assured that their performances will not be overlooked.’’ —sunil gavaskar The best thing is, the competition for a spot on Team India is not restricted to the rookies. Even the veterans now consigned to the fringes — Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman, Zaheer Khan, Chopra, Balaji and Ashish Nehra —know they’ll have to fight real hard to get back in the good books. This would put paid to the practice of stars making ‘‘guest’’ appearances at Ranji matches. ‘‘The seniors have no choice now’’, says Inti. ‘‘They have to play well if they want to come back. There are no guaranteed slots in the team.’’ Nor will the talent search be restricted to Ranji or other domestic tournaments. There are two key under-19 competitions this season; the Afro-Asian Cup, currently under way at Visakhapatnam, and the World Cup in Sri Lanka in February. That’s why young leg-spinner Piyush Chawla, vice-captain of the under-19 team, has reason for hope. ‘‘It feels great to see something like this happening’’, he told Sportline in Vizag. ‘‘It not only shows domestic cricket is becoming more important, but it also shows that all tournaments, even this one, are important for getting noticed.’’ There are a lot of other things that make this season more interesting than usual. The unprecedented number of professionals (see box) this season, clubbed with the advent of big money in recruiting coaching staff, has given domestic cricket a better sheen. The competition will be tougher. And, as Chappell puts it, the odds could favour well-knit teams like Railways that don’t rely on individuals. ‘‘Domestic cricket isn’t about big teams and big players’’, says Ashish Nehra. ‘‘It’s about the same team turning in a performance match after match, building a strong combination.’’ Which brings us, better late than never, to the Ranji holders. They are the archetypal Chappell team, all for one and one for all. Two of their players, JP Yadav and Murali Kartik, have made it to Team India despite the Railways lacking a godfather in the system. Coach Vinod Sharma has always lamented the lack of chances ‘up there’ for his players. This time, he’d have no regrets. Ranji’s smiling on his cricketers.
