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File photo of Dinesh Karthik©AFP
It is not often you see the coach of a cricket team publicly criticizing his captain. But the rare incident took place during the Ranji Trophy semi-final match between Tamil Nadu and Mumbai. Tamil Nadu coach Sulakshan Kulkarni criticized his captain R Sai Kishore’s decision to bat first. Kuklarni’s statement caused a stir on social media, where fans criticized the coach. Even veteran Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik took to social media and shared his disappointment over Kulkarni’s comments.
“This is very WRONG. This is very disappointing on the part of the coach… instead of supporting the captain who led the team to the semi-finals after 7 years and thinking that it is a start for good things to happen, the coach has absolutely threw his captain and team under the bus,” Karthik said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Kulkarni did not hesitate to put his captain, Sai Kishore, in the firing line, suggesting that it was the latter’s decision to bat first that led to the team’s defeat in the semi-final.
“I always speak clearly: we lost the match at 9 o’clock on the first day,” Kulkarni said after Tamil Nadu lost the semi-final to Mumbai by an innings and 70 runs. “The moment I saw the wicket I knew exactly what we were going to get. Everything was ready, we won the toss, as a coach, as a Mumbaikar, I know the conditions well. We should have bowled but the captain had something different. instinct.”
“When I saw that they had played on a different pitch in the quarter-final and what a wicket they gave, (at that) moment I realized that this is a seam-friendly wicket and it was going to be a very difficult match. We have to play very well to win this match,” said Kulkarni.
“Ultimately, he (Sai Kishore) is the boss. I can give my opinion and input (on) the type of wickets and also the mentality of Mumbai.”
Kulkarni said Tamil Nadu lost the game in the first hour after losing to Sai Sudharsan in difficult conditions.
“We were mentally prepared that whoever won the toss would pitch first,” he said. “We knew we would bowl first. The moment (the television broadcast) said we would bat first, whatever you say, it stays in the batsmen’s minds. That first half hour (before the game) came into play. the mind of the hitters.
“When you get to the first over, the third (fourth) ball, your international player comes out and you see the situation… in the first hour we lost the game and the plot. It was very difficult to come back.”
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