quot;Genuine off-spinner needed for Mumbaiquot;

MUMBAI, Nov 25: The absence of an off-spinner was not lost out on skipper Sachin Tendulkar while analysing the Mumbai team's performance in ...

MUMBAI, Nov 25: The absence of an off-spinner was not lost out on skipper Sachin Tendulkar while analysing the Mumbai team8217;s performance in the Ranji Trophy opener against Gujarat that concluded at the Wankhede Stadium today.

8220;We have to find a genuine off-spinner,8221; he said while pointing the need for variety in the attack, which he felt, was otherwise quite balanced.

The absence of a quality off-spinner notwithstanding, Tendulkar exhorted his bowlers to discipline themselves. 8220;They have to tighten up and reduce the number of no-balls,8221; he said.

Commenting on his first match as coach of Mumbai, Ashok Mankad, felt they 8220;should have wrapped it up earlier.8221; Both Tendulkar and Mankad were unanimous in their opinion of the abilities of the team, which would have to do without the services of at least six regulars for the next game against Saurashtra. Tendulkar and Ajit Agarkar would be away in New Zealand, Wasim Jaffer and Amol Muzumdar have been selected to the India A team, Amit Pagnis has sufferedan injury and Rajesh Pawar would be leading the Mumbai under-19 team8217;s challenge in the knock-out phase. The team, however, would be bolstered by the return of spinners Sairaj Bahutule and Nilesh Kulkarni, who did duty for the India Youth team.

8220;We had anticipated it and have enough players to better the opposition,8221; said Mankad. 8220;They the batsmen are good enough to know what is expected of them when they are representing Mumbai as we have always shown in the past. I am sure that they will continue to do so,8221; reasoned Tendulkar.

A disappointed Gujarat skipper Mukund Parmar refused to offer any excuses for his team8217;s debacle. 8220;There are no excuses left now as most of the team members have been around for almost six years. It is high time we got the results,8221; he lamented. 8220;There is no chance of survival if our batsmen play badly. They tried to play too many shots.8221;

Lack of match practice and a full-fledged camp prior to their Ranji Trophy campaign were some of the factors that Parmar cited forGujarat8217;s dismal displays. 8220;All the players get together for the camp which begins barely a week before the first Ranji Trophy match,8221; he opined. 8220;Besides, the zonal draw is also unfair to us. Almost every year we end up playing the strongest teams at the start. Teams of equal abilities should be playing their opening games,8221; he added.