Kanga league returns

Mumbai is illustrious for many things, and cricket tops the list, producing legends that have changed the dynamics of world cricket with their talent. The city’s team boasts of a remarkable 41 Ranji titles and 13 Irani Cup titles. The question arises, where does this talent come from? And how does Mumbai get hold of all the prodigies? The answer somewhat lies in the grassroots of the city’s cricket. Mumbai’s prestigious Kanga League returns for another thrilling season on July 9.

The city breeds the ‘defiant’ attitude in its cricketers. Just like the city, cricket here also does not give you a second chance. The tournament does not offer the best conditions to play cricket since it is the only league played in the monsoons. There is an awkward bounce at times, and water puddles cause mud splashing. The wet pitches cause the ball to stop and also, the match does not get abandoned unless there is a torrential downpour. There are times where teams are bowled out for a meagre total of 30-40 runs. The weather conditions in this period of the year in Mumbai change within an hour, and that is the real test for the players.

The league was inaugurated in 1948 and named after Hormasji Kanga who was the first Indian to score a double hundred in a first-class match. The DY Patil Sports Academy are the current champions.

The league was abandoned last year but is beginning earlier than usual this year. Dr. Unmesh Khanvilkar, secretary of the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), explains, “We decided to start off early this year because of two reasons. Firstly, many of the grounds are inaccessible because of the metro work. The second one being the heavy rains we saw last year became a reason to abandon the league. We do not want that to happen as many players look forward to the Kanga League. If the weather allows, we’ll have a fantastic season.”

The splendour of the Kanga League is the young talent that it fleshes out. There are very few leagues where local cricketers get a chance to take part in a competition with national stars. It nurtures them to build a foundation and a quality technique. The cloudy and windy weather is like the English conditions. Kanga League has produced fine Test cricketers, including Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, Vijay Merchant, Buck Divecha and Dattu Phadkar. Sachin Tendulkar was also a part of the league when he was 11 representing the John Bright Cricket Club where he played the whole season.

“Survival is the first thing one has to keep in mind while playing in the league and that is where your skills get enhanced. The conditions change every hour, and that teaches players to adapt. As they come out of a break from cricket, the players are rusty, and it gives them a good head start. We have got new players on board, including Wasim Jaffer, Swapnil Salvi and Swapnil and the rest of our squad is the same, which is one of the reasons why we have been so consistent in the league in the previous editions. We are hoping to win the league and get the trophy back,” said Amit Dani, cricket secretary of MIG Cricket Club. Dani, now retired, was the skipper of MIG Club that lifted the trophy in the 2014-15 season.

The captain of the Cricket Club of India, Paul Valthaty has been playing in the league since he was 18. “It is the toughest league to play in for a reason, the ball skids on really quick or stops at times. While batting, there are times when the mud gets splashed onto you, or you slip. The matches are exhilarating. We have been practising with wet tennis and rubber balls as they have an awkward bounce that will help us prepare for the worst conditions,” he explains.