CHENNAI: After coaching Saurashtra to their maiden Ranji Trophy title in the 2019-20 season, former India international Karsan Ghavri decided not to continue. It led to the promotion of long-time assistant coach Niraj Odedra to the hot seat. Soon after taking the reins of the team, Odedra spoke on the need to develop a side suited for all formats. He also highlighted the need for having a full-time trainer and other support staff considered necessary in modern-day cricket, especially in the limited-overs format.
Things started changing gradually as Saurashtra started doing well in limited-overs domestic tournaments (Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy and 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy) once again. They reached the Vijay Hazare quarterfinals in 2020-21 and went a step ahead in the next season, losing the semifinal to eventual champions Tamil Nadu. They also made it to SMAT pre-quarters and quarters in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons respectively.But the big day, both the coach and his team, were waiting for arrived on Friday as they defeated unbeaten Maharashtra in the Vijay Hazare final in Ahmedabad. The title is their second in the tournament and it came after a gap of 15 years and three finals.
Given the roadmap he had prepared three seasons ago, the coach is bound to be emotional but now he wants the T20 title, the only domestic trophy missing from Saurashtra's cabinet. "Winning is a good habit. I am very emotional but we are hungry for more. There is one trophy left. SMAT. We came very close this season but it's always one step at a time. Last year, we lost the Vijay Hazare semifinal to Tamil Nadu. This time we won the trophy. I hope we win the T20 title next season," Odedra told this daily.
It was veteran Sheldon Jackson's unbeaten 133 that helped Saurashtra beat Maharashtra by five wickets in the summit clash. The day started with the coin flipping in Saurashtra's favour. As expected, they chose to field. Captain Jaydev Unadkat bowled a tight opening spell (6-1-5-0) as Maharashtra reached 18/1 in the first 10 overs with their in-form skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad managing only 4 off 32 balls.
Gaikwad brought up his fifty from 96 balls in the 33rd over and scored the next 57 runs off just 35 balls en route to slamming his third consecutive ton, also a record 12th century of the tournament. He, however, got run out in the 42nd over followed by a hat-trick from medium pacer Chirag Jani in the penultimate over as Maharashtra could manage only a modest total of 248/9.
"I must say the toss was important and luckily we won it. But after that, we executed our plans well as we bowled straight lines and in the right areas. Ruturaj was in form but that run out meant Maharashtra fell at least 30-40 runs short. You never know they could have even crossed 300 if Ruturaj was there. And after that, Jani claimed a hat-trick. If your pacer can deliver yorker after yorker in the death overs then what else do you want?" he said.
Odedra credited the recent success to players' fitness. "The players are supremely fit. I know what I said three seasons ago and our association gave us a full-time trainer this time. Fitness plays an important role in white-ball cricket and our triumph here is proof of it."