Excessive coaching, poor bench strength hurting Mumbai

As Mumbai prepare to lock horns with Maharashtra in the Ranji Trophy quarterfinals at the Wankhede Stadium, starting on Wednesday, one's mind goes back to the 1971 final between these two teams 42 years ago.
Mumbai were without Wadekar, Sardesai, Solkar, Gavaskar and Mankad as they were a part of the Indian team that was touring the West Indies. Maharashtra, on the other hand, was a star-studded unit. And yet, young Sudhir Naik surprised everyone by shrewdly leading the Mumbai team to victory.
But more than the victory, the way Mumbai achieved it has to be recounted. On the eve of the final day, Maharashtra led by Chandu Borde (unbeaten), needed 62 runs to win. They had a whole day to reach the target and they still had five wickets in hand. Victory looked very much possible. Anticipating a landmark victory, the administrators of the association started preparing for celebrations for the next evening.
Defeating Mumbai was a dream of every cricket team in India and if and when it happened, it had to be celebrated in a grand fashion. The MCA booked a big room in a five star hotel. Champagne bottles were stacked up.
However, the events that unfolded on the field the next day changed everything rather quickly. A festive atmosphere quickly metamorphosed into an evening of shock and disbelief.
Milind Rege took a sharp catch to his left at slip to get rid of Borde. Mahesh Sampat's blinder at gully sent back the dangerous Nicky Saldanha and the rest of the Maharashtra batsmen collapsed like a house of cards. Mumbai snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.
That the hero of the 1971 triumph, Sudhir Naik, was seen carrying drinks the next season, is another story and it tells a tale of the intense competition and selectorial ruthlessness that exists in the Mumbai set up. The greatest have found it difficult to survive in the Mumbai team and nobody can afford to take his place for granted. Complacency is a strict no-no. Perhaps this is why they make for such a formidable team.
Of late though the standards have dropped and that is why the team barely made it to the knock-outs. What could be the reason? Surely not the nonavailability of stars. Mumbai won in 1971, '76 and '81 without stars. Now, suddenly we need India players to win the Ranji Trophy.
Mumbai won the 1971 final when a majority of the players were still under-25, but the bench strength in the past was so strong that there was a move to allow Mumbai to field two teams in the Ranji Trophy.
Sudhir Naik, who is connected with Mumbai cricket over four decades reckons, "My observation is that cricket was different during the time we played. Now it's a business. There is too much coaching by mushroomed coaches at junior level and they are coached by those who have no knowledge. Another important point is there are only a few clubs who grab all top players. There is no competition in the 'A' division. Earlier, all senior players used to play club cricket."
Milind Rege, who, like Naik, has been deeply involved with Mumbai cricket, presents a different point of view. "Now coaches flaunt coaching certificates and that makes a player mechanical. They are confused lot. When will they think how to read and deal with a situation in the middle? There is too much interference from the coaches."
The MCA officials do admit that their cricket academy is in a mess.
Former Mumbai cricketers feel the selection policies at all levels are totally irrational. Hasn't that reflected in Mumbai's performance in this season from under-14 onwards?
So long as Mumbai cricket remains besieged by petty noncricketing and ego issues, there are less chances of Mumbai producing cricketers of high international calibre.
Time to act, Mr President.