As they ready themselves for the West Zone league matches, Mumbai pin hopes on their under-14 boys after all their other teams failed miserably this season
Mumbai: As they ready themselves for the West Zone league matches, Mumbai pin hopes on their under-14 boys after all their other teams failed miserably this season.
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Arjun Tendulkar
Vaishnav Narvekar’s team will lock horns with Gujarat in their opening encounter at the Wankhede Stadium today. Mumbai, which practically won everything in the last season, have yet to open its account as far as winning titles are concerned.
But hopes are high for the U-14 boys to deliver and lift the mood in the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA). “It is an important tournament. Our preparations have been on track.
We don’t want to pressurise the kids to win the title just because no other team could manage to win anything this season. These boys are very young. We want them to play freely without worrying about anything. They need to enjoy their cricket,” said coach Deepak Patil.
Patil, who is also a Managing Committee and Technical Committee member, said the boys are eager to play at the historic venue. “They are just excited to step onto the ground. They have seen this stadium on TV and are finding it hard to believe that they will play here. Everyone is very excited,” he said.
For Arjun Tendulkar, who is a part of the team, it would be a return to Wankhede. Arjun was a ball boy when his father Sachin Tendulkar bid adieu to cricket at the same venue last November.
“I don’t know whether it would be an emotional moment for him or not, but he is definitely excited about the first match. He has worked hard,” said Patil.