Karnataka pulled off an inconceivable comeback from a fragile place to grab victory from the Railways throughout its Ranji Trophy encounter in Surat on Sunday.
The youthful staff, led by Nikin Jose, was exuberant in celebration, thronging veteran batter Manish Pandey after he guided the staff to a once-in-a-lifetime win.
However for 2 folks current on the Lalbhai Contractor stadium on the day, the win introduced with it a tinge of nostalgia.
Hyderabad hosted a robust Karnataka staff within the Ranji Trophy 1997/98 semifinal on the Gymkhana Floor in Secunderabad. The house staff put up a 154-run goal for Karnataka after conceding a 29-run first-innings lead.
The goal was fairly stiff, contemplating the pitch was a rank turner and Hyderabad had the providers of Venkatapathy Raju and Kanwaljit Singh – the latter choosing up seven wickets within the first innings.
The Rahul Dravid-led staff’s probabilities seemed bleak when Kanwaljit replicated his first-innings efficiency, leaving Dodda Ganesh and Mansur Ali Khan to take the staff house.
Karnataka in opposition to Hyderabad within the Ranji Trophy semifinal in 1998
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SIVAKUMAR PV/ The Hindu
Karnataka in opposition to Hyderabad within the Ranji Trophy semifinal in 1998
| Picture Credit score:
SIVAKUMAR PV/ The Hindu
“19 runs had been wanted for the final wicket. All of a sudden, lunch was referred to as. No one had lunch. We had been sitting on our chairs, simply placing our heads down,” Mansur reminisced throughout a chat with Sportstar.
“Ganesh went to Rahul [Dravid] and mentioned in Kannada, ’Don’t fear. We are going to win this recreation’,” he mentioned.
“Mansur and I performed plenty of cricket collectively, tennis ball and league cricket. We additionally performed plenty of junior cricket collectively. We had that perception and belief,” Ganesh advised Sportstar, talking in regards to the rapport the 2 shared.
“That recreation was very essential for us. We labored very laborious as a staff. I used to be dropped from the Indian staff, Dravid too and the selectors had been watching us. M.L. Jaisimha was their coach. We wished to impress him additionally,” the pacer added. “Reaching the Ranji Trophy remaining was very worthwhile. That was virtually like reaching a World Cup for us.”
The victorious Karnataka staff with the Ranji Trophy it gained in Bangalore in 1998
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Particular Association
The victorious Karnataka staff with the Ranji Trophy it gained in Bangalore in 1998
| Picture Credit score:
Particular Association
Ganesh went on to attain an unbeaten 18 to take Karnataka house that day. The staff went on to seal the title in opposition to Uttar Pradesh at house on the again of Dravid’s masterful double-hundred.
Reduce to a 25 years later, Ganesh, who’s a part of Karnataka’s Cricket Advisory Committee and Mansur, who’s the facet’s bowling coach, watched in unison because the staff fought again in opposition to the Railways to seal a well-known win.
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“In 1997 I used to be a participant, now a coach. Clearly, there was plenty of heart-beating. We’re going ahead with a brand new staff. I actually appreciated the way in which we fought again and that’s what Karnataka stands for,” Mansur mentioned.
Mansur was additionally filled with reward for Manish and V. Vyshak whose partnership laid the inspiration for the chase.
“Until Manish was there I had plenty of confidence as a result of he has drilled Karnataka out many instances through the previous additionally. Vyshak additionally has approach to play spinners,” he mentioned.
“Identical to Ganesh mentioned that day, Vyshak advised me, ‘Don’t fear, from my facet 30 runs is assured. I can negotiate this.’ He’s changing into all-rounder for Karnataka and hopefully, he’ll play for India additionally,” the coach added.