Teamwork and trust can take you places and this was on display at the TNCA inter-districts U-19 tournament. Hari K Pandya and Thasish Kannan were some of the key performers in helping Coimbatore win it for the third time in a row.
“Firstly, to be able to win the championship three times in a row is quite special. It shows the amount of dedication and hard work the team and the association has put in,” said an elated Hari, captain of the Coimbatore U-19 team. “We had a pretty long selection process which makes sure that the best team is being selected and the association’s efforts to make sure that we had enough practice was commendable and I credit the team’s success to that,” said Hari. “There are really good facilities out here at Coimbatore and the association makes sure that you get quality practice no matter what. We had our practice sessions at the SNR college cricket grounds,” he added.
Hari acknowledged that team spirit and bonding helped the team play as a unit and this came in handy for the side to retain its Under 19 crown. “We gelled as a team really well, we know how to back each other. I feel the ability of my team to be able to stick through with each other really helped us to be able to play as a unit and achieve satisfying results. The final was really intense, especially considering that they (Chengalpattu) were the best opposition we faced throughout the season. We had our nervous moments, especially during the end, but we managed to sail through,” said Hari.
Self belief has been one of the reasons for the team’s brilliant show as it helped them give their best at crucial junctures. “The toughest match of the tournament was the final, where knocking off those final 28 runs was the real tough deal and gave us some real tense moments. But we came out with flying colours because of our self belief,” he shared.
There were many notable performances from the Coimbatore players, but the stand out one was that of Thashish. “We’ve had consistent performers throughout the season, but the credit I would like to give the most would be our team’s prime bowler, Thashish Kannan. His ability to bowl long spells and give us the required breakthroughs whenever needed, and to be able to chip in with the bat whenever required was something really special,” he said.
Meanwhile, coach Kasi Ram has helped the Coimbatore players perform to their potential. “Kasi Ram has been the coach of the team for the past three years and has made the district clinch the trophy on all three occasions. His contribution is invaluable and the freedom he gives the players is something not every coach does and that shows the belief he has in us and gives us the opportunity to express ourselves freely,” Hari said.
Over the years, the majority of the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) matches have been held in the districts. “TNPL has given so many players a platform to get their big break, especially in the districts. It acts as a big boost for the local, state association and has definitely improved the quality of cricket overall. All of the players in our team are part of the TNCA league and play for various teams,” he signed off.