Mumbai Indians (MI) haven’t traditionally believed in major experimentation and this means that a few players haven’t got a game in the whole season. The strategy has helped the three-time champions in past five seasons. This season, the likes of Aditya Tare, Saurabh Tiwary, Rahul Chahar, Anukul Roy, Adam Milne haven’t featured in the first 12 games. Local boy Siddhesh Lad has been without a game for four seasons with MI now.
Despite not doing well this season, especially in the first half, the defending champions, as usual, chose to back non-performing players instead of trying the bench strength. Understandbly frustrated at not playing a single game, Mumbai Ranji team skipper Tare felt the IPL isn’t the end of everything and is already focusing on the next season.
“The IPL is not the end of everything. I am still a first-class captain and have got lot of positive things to look forward to. Even if I am sitting out now, you never know how things can change and next season I will be a very important player, so that is the thinking I have. It’s not the end of my career (or) the end of life if I am sitting out for the entire season,” said Tare, ahead of their penultimate league game against Kings XI Punjab.
Tare as skipper lifted the 41st Ranji trophy title for Mumbai in the 2015-2016 season and continues to be skipper of the Mumbai team. He became the first player in IPL to come on as a reserve wicketkeeper after ICC implemented its new rules last year. Tare made his appearance in the fourth game against Royal Challengers Bangalore at Wankhede after regular wicket-keeper Ishan Kishan was hit in the eye after an awkward bounce from Hardik Pandya’s throw. This was the only time Tare took the field this IPL season until Tuesday.
“It is not a great thing sitting out on the bench. This is my ninth season in the IPL and I have sat out a lot of games on the bench, so by now I know how to deal with it. Sometimes you just have no control and have to hope for the best going forward,” said Tare who was with MI from 2010 to the 2015 season but featured regularly only during the 2014 season.
He played three games for Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2016 and three more for Delhi Daredevils in 2017 before he was bought back into the Rohit Sharma-led side along with Suryakumar Yadav.
Tare, who hit a famous six at Brabourne Stadium against Rajasthan Royals to enable MI qualify for playoffs in 2014 after they were in similar situation like this year, said he is always ready to play even if it is in the business end of the league.
“I am always hopeful to play every game, I am still ready to play. I take care of my preparations well and keep myself ready mentally and skill wise,” he said.
Ironically, Tare had missed the inaugural edition of T20 Mumbai League due to a finger injury in March but recovered in time for the MI practice sessions. He spent T20 Mumbai League in the commentary box and IPL in the dugout. Tare, who made his first class debut in 2009 for Mumbai, conceded though that MI has played a great role in shaping his career.
He played seven games in his first year for MI in 2010 before getting out of favour for the next two seasons. He figured in MI plans again in the 2013 season where he played five games followed by all 15 games during the 2014 season.
“I feel fortunate that I am back with MI, a franchise which has helped me in my career. I have spent six seasons growing up and the way (my) career got groomed, MI (has) played a massive role in it,” he added.
Tare praises Kishan
After MI bought promising Ishan Kishan by paying 6.5 crores for him, Tare would have felt that he will get to play only if Kishan performs badly or is injured. Kishan performed decently and was injured briefly but didn’t miss any game. The Mumbai stumper was full of praise for his Jharkhand counterpart in first class cricket.
“He is pretty young. 19-20 years old and the talent that is enormous. That’s the reason Mumbai Indians have backed him as the first choice,” he said.
“It is the start of his career, so it is a great opportunity for him to be playing for MI. A couple of matches back he won a game for us, so it shows the amount of ability he has with the bat. This experience of playing all the games for a franchise like MI is going to help him going forward in his career,” Tare added.
Wankhede Blues
Tare was disappointed that Mumbai Indians, who had made Wankhede their fortress in the previous seasons, haven’t been upto the mark at their home venue. MI lost four games prior to their last home game here against KXIP. “The major thing is that we haven’t been up to the mark at the Wankhede. This franchise has always been very tough (to beat) at the Wankhede, but unfortunately, we haven’t been as strong at home this year,” Tare said.
