How the whipping boys turned giant killers

For decades, Mumbai has lorded over the rest of the country with a virtual stranglehold over the iconic Ranji Trophy. With 41 titles in the kitty, their supremacy over domestic cricket in India is unparalleled. Which is precisely why heads turned when the unfancied Gujarat toppled the giants to win their maiden Ranji Trophy.

14th January 2017 will be etched in Gujarat's cricketing history as a golden day. The last time they came close was way back in 1951-52. That year, they ran into the formidable Holkar side and despite a fighting 152 from Jasu Patel, Gujarat had succumbed by 189 runs.

It has taken them over six decades to reach the summit. In fact, there's only one surviving member of that Gujarat team of 1951-52 – Mr Walter D'souza. At 92 years of age and watching Parthiv Patel’s side lift the Ranji Trophy, he is bound to be a thrilled man.

Not often do you get a chance to do something as special as this. But just how did Gujarat do it?

Parthiv Patel’s knock

Faced with the proposition of chasing what would have been the highest successful final chase in the history of the tournament, Gujarat’s task was daunting. But Parthiv Patel was a man on a mission. He played one of the best knocks you can see in recent times. For the sheer sense of occasion, the timing of the knock and handling the pressure against a charged up Mumbai – you need to hand the man a 10 out of 10.

Chasing 312 on the final day at Indore was epic. It's that kind of a tale that you prefer to tell people after several years.

Mumbai love dominating. To defeat them when they are on top is not an easy task on any given day, let alone the final. At 51/2, when Parthiv Patel walked out, Mumbai was in a position of strength. But it all slipped away once Parthiv Patel started to attack.

His 196 ball 143, studded with 24 boundaries, was phenomenal. Taking a leaf from his book was Manpreet Juneja, who had also made up his mind that attack was to be his best defence.

Outright aggression

Gujarat looked a transformed side this year. They believed in their abilities and every time Parthiv Patel was around, they appeared a different unit altogether. As a player and then a captain, he has witnessed both victory and defeat.

Gujarat has been relentless all season long. This was evident in the final as well. In the 30^th over, they were reduced to 89/3. And just when Mumbai were going for the jugular, Gujarat stepped on the gas. And over the course of the next couple of hours, the match turned on its head.

Mumbai threw everything at them. The chirpy slip cordon was on overdrive and the umpires had to intervene on more than a few instances. Manprit Juneja was a specific target, but he wasn’t going to be bullied on the day.

Mumbai got a taste of their own medicine and to add insult to injury, Juneja scored a match-winning half-century and shared a crucial partnership with Patel.

This aggression from Gujarat was evident through the course of their campaign. Priyank Panchal had a dream run. His 1,310 runs in the season at an average of 87.33 was the highest for the season and the third highest aggregate in the history of the tournament.

Such was the grit on offer that they had two triple-centurions in the side. If Priyank Panchal hammered a hapless Punjab for 314*, Samit Gohel did the unimaginable. Opening the innings against Orissa, his 359* from 723 balls is the highest score by an opener when carrying the bat in a first-class match.

Needless to say, Gujarat’s progress has been gradual. They won the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in 2014/15 and then the Vijay Hazare Trophy in the 2015/16 season.

When I was growing up they were the whipping boys of domestic cricket. But now, with Patel at the helm, the whip belong to them. And it’s heartening to witness change. They could have doubled their delight but butter fingers ensured that the Irani Trophy slipped away from their grasp.

That said, given their performances over the past few season, no side would dare to take them lightly. As Mr. Walter D'souza would say in his husky voice, “at your own peril son.”

Well done Gujarat.