Vidarbha are deserving Ranji winners, says Wright

Raipur: Former India cricket coach John Wright said Vidarbha are deserving winners of the Ranji Trophy this season. “They played some tough cricket in different conditions. It’s good for the game in the country when you have different sides winning the competition,” he told TOI in Raipur.

As talent scout of the Mumbai Indians IPL team, Wright is here to watch the Central Zone T20 league where Vidarbha have currently won both their matches.

Wright had followed the Ranji Trophy closely this season. “Vidarbha beat some good sides. Kerala were playing great cricket under Dave Whatmore. Everyone thought that Karnataka will win the title. But Vidarbha won against all odds,” he said.

The Kiwi has played a huge part in the selection of Akshay Wakhare, Apoorv Wankhade and Jitesh Sharma for Mumbai Indians. “In Surat, I watched Wakhare play for the first time when Vidarbha won the Ranji quarterfinal game. He is very good bowler. He had a tough season last year but he has come back nicely and is bowling well now. I think, offspinners have a good great opportunity at the moment,” he said.

Much like what India offspinner Harbhajan Singh said recently, Wright too feels Wakhare, who has taken 34 wickets in eight Ranji matches this season, has the ability and talent to play at the highest level.

“There are probably two-three players in that category that the selectors will be thinking about. If he gets the chance, he is ready to go and that’s what Harbhajan meant. Wakhare has got good flight and also varies his pace nicely. Now, he is experienced too and knows how to take wickets in various situations,” he added.

Wright was the coach of Mumbai Indians when Wankhade joined them. “He is a kind of cricketer you always hope will do well because he is good person too. He has got a lot of talent. He is a big hitter of the ball and an equally good fielder,” he said.

Wright said he was in touch with Wankhade for a brief period. “I am glad Apoorv has done well this season. He is the kind of cricketer a coach would love to see do well because he works very hard on his game. I saw him in Jaipur last year when he was just starting to develop his game,” said the Kiwi.

The 63-year-old praised Vidarbha team management for sticking with Wankhade, who scored a century against Kerala in the Ranji quarterfinal. “They are reaping the benefits of backing the player through good and bad times. He is the kind who can change the game within no time,” said Wright.

Wright said playing Ranji Trophy will help Wankhade grow as a cricketer. “That’s the beauty of the four-day Ranji competition. In one-dayers and T20s, a player gets very limited opportunity particularly when you come to bat in the middle order,” he said.

According to the MI scout the only way to become a good spinner is to bowl in match situations. “The four-day competition is valuable because it allows you to bat for three four hours and if you are a spinner you get to bowl for three to four hours,” said Wright.

He also praised Vidarbha wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma who scored a brilliant 91 against Chhattisgarh. “I have been watching him for a couple of years now. He is a good and clean striker of the ball, and keeper as well. He did well in Mumbai (2016) and also in Jaipur last year,” said Wright.