CHENNAI: In an extraordinary post-match interaction with journalists, Tamil Nadu coach, Sulakshan Kulkarni, pinned the loss on the 'instincts' of R Sai Kishore, the side's captain. After the team's heavy innings defeat against Mumbai in the semifinals of the Ranji Trophy on Monday, Kulkarni, a Mumbai insider in the away dressing room, said: "We lost the match at 9.00 AM on Day One."
For the record, Kishore, after winning the toss, opted to bat first on what seemed like a surface that would assist pacers. Even as late as moments before the toss, Kulkarni, and the batters in the away dressing room, were under the impression that they would field first as long as they won the toss.
But Kishore, the leading wicket-taker in the competition this season, surprised his own team. "I always speak (in a) straightforward," he said. "I can take the horse to the water but the horse has to drink. We did all the home work. If you are going with three pacers, if you win the win the toss... somehow, the decision... we all know.
"I thought everything was set, we won the toss... as a Mumbaikar... I know the conditions and everything well. Yes, we should have bowled but then the captain has a different instinct... ultimately he's the boss and I can only give suggestions and inputs.
"Mentally also we know that whoever wins the toss will bowl first. The moment we said we will bat first, obviously whatever you say, it goes in the batter's mind. The first half an hour, the dressing room atmosphere was... your international player (Sai Sudharsan) gets out. First hour we lost the plot and lost the game." He also questioned a few of the in-game decisions Kishore took, while ignoring suggestions from the dugout like the decision to not bowl Ajith Ram for a long time on Day One.
To be fair to Kulkarni, he did praise his captain for taking Tamil Nadu to the last four, a place they hadn't been to since 2016-17. "Happy for TNCA," he said. "Reaching the semi after seven years, that's some achievement. It's a good milestone. (Winning the) Championship would have been the icing on the cake.
"(Kishore's) inner voice has reached the semifinals. That inner voice (instinct) has helped us reach the semifinal. Every captain has a different mindset and I wouldn't blame him."
One wonders if this assessment — some would call it throwing the captain under the bus — would harm the relationship between coach and his main ward. "I don't mince words," the 57-year-old said. "My way of thinking is different, his way of thinking is different. It takes time to understand each other, three months is too short a time."