Ranji Trophy final: 'Insider' Sarwate offers Kerala a boost

Ex-Vidarbha stalwart back at Jamtha but will be in rival camp for summit clash
KOCHI: It's a maiden Ranji Trophy final appearance for Kerala. It's unchartered territory for all Kerala players but Aditya Sarwate. Even Jalaj Saxena, a domestic stalwart, hasn't been part of a match of this magnitude before.
Sarwate happened to be an integral part of three Ranji finals, winning two and losing one. And all of these outings came for Vidarbha - Kerala's opponents in the final.
Sarwate knows Vidarbha like the back of his hand. He played all his cricket for Vidarbha debut before moving to Kerala at the beginning of the season. It's home turf for the seasoned left-arm spinner. Sarwate's family stays half an hour from the Jamtha stadium in Nagpur, the venue for the final.

"I never thought I would play a Ranji final here on against Vidarbha. It's a very different feeling," the 35-year-old told TOI. Having made his First-Class debut almost a decade back, Sarwate has been one of the pillars around which Vidarbha's success story revolved.
In Vidarbha's maiden Ranji Trophy success in 2017-18, Sarwate formed a deadly spin combo with off-spinner Akshay Wakhare, taking 29 wickets in just six matches. By the time Vidarbha defended their title the next season, Sarwate became the fulcrum of their attack, claiming 55 wickets in the season to emerge as the third-highest wicket-taker in the country. He also claimed a 11-wicket haul in the final against Saurashtra to emerge as the player of the final.
After he went wicket less in Vidarbha's third final last season which led to a defeat against Mumbai, Sarwate had a fallout with the team management. A hurt Sarwate wasted little time and moved on from Vidarbha. With 30 wickets from eight matches this season, Sarwate has propelled Kerala into the final. He credits his bowling partnership with Saxena for the revival.
"I get to learn a lot from him. Bowling in partnership with Jalaj bhai helps. We plot our rival batter's dismissals," said Sarwate.
Sarwate will be expected to share imparting his experience of playing a Ranji final with his Kerala teammates. After all, he understands the psyche of Vidarbha cricketers like no one else. "I know the strengths and weaknesses of each player in Vidarbha, and they also know mine. Although there is video analysis of players these days, my tips can come in handy in a match situation," he said.
Sarwate says he never felt out of place after joining Kerala and credits coach Amay Khurasiya for the team's magnificent show.
"When Paras Mhambrey took over as Vidarbha coach, he brought with him that typical Mumbai khadoos (stubborn) attitude. That transformed the Vidarbha side. Chandrakant Pandit took it to a different level. I think Amay bhai has come up with a similar approach for Kerala cricket. He is a tough taskmaster but gets the best out of you. He makes you train hard and helps you iron out your flaws," stated Sarwate.
His grand uncle Chandu Sarwate played for India in nine Test matches. Over the next five days, the Sarwates would be hoping Aditya builds on the legacy of the family, albeit for his adopted home Kerala.