Saikiran Uppuluri
Saikiran Uppuluri
Tamil Nadu’s head coach, Sulakshan Kulkarni, attributed his team’s innings defeat to Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy semifinal to a crucial mistake at the toss. Kulkarni revealed that the team was mentally prepared to field first if they won the toss, but captain R. Sai Kishore had a different instinct and opted to bat first.
This decision backfired as Tamil Nadu quickly found themselves in trouble at 42 for 5 in the first session, facing challenging bowling conditions. Despite a fighting five-wicket haul from captain Sai Kishore in the first innings, Mumbai’s lower-order resilience, led by Shardul Thakur’s 109 and Tanush Kotian’s 89, pushed the hosts to a significant lead that Tamil Nadu couldn’t recover from.
Kulkarni was blunt in his assessment, stating, “I always speak straightforward — we lost the match at 9 o’clock on day one.” He emphasized that the pitch conditions were favorable for bowling, and they should have bowled first. However, he respected Sai Kishore’s decision as the captain.
The coach acknowledged Mumbai’s strength in the lower order, praising them as the best numbers 9 and 10 in India. He credited Mumbai’s mindset and their ability to capitalize on favorable conditions for their victory.
Despite Kulkarni’s straightforward assessment, his comments criticizing the team’s performance after the defeat received backlash. Veteran Tamil Nadu cricketer Dinesh Karthik expressed disappointment, stating that the coach’s comments were unfair to the captain and the team, especially considering their journey to the semifinals after seven years.
The defeat serves as a learning experience for Tamil Nadu, highlighting the importance of strategic decision-making and adaptability in challenging conditions.
