Vidarbha Under-23 captain Mandar Mahale is on cloud nine as his team has entered the semi-final in CK Nayudu Trophy and at the same time following his fabulous perfomrnces, he has been included in Vidarbha 18-member squad for Ranji Trophy semi-final to be played against Madhya Pradesh from March 3 in the city.
Talking to Lokmat Times over Ranji selection Mahale who has played Syed Mushtaq Ali this season for Vidarbha and has been included in Vidarbha Ranji squad for the first time said " As far as domestic cricket is concerned both Ranji and CK Nayudu Trophy are important tournaments. Selection is not in my hand but I will try to deliver my best in the semi finals in whichever format I get an opportunity".
VCA senior selection committee chairman Suhas Phadkar said it is a great honour to get selected in Ranji Trophy team for the semi final. " If not selected in playing eleven, he can move to Under-23 squad for the semi-final beginning on March 3".
Mahale been in tremendous form in CK Naydu Trophy as he has scored 704 runs hitting three centuries and three fifties in eight matches. Not only that he has also claimed 17 wickets in eight matches.
Showing lot of character and self -belief in the quarterfinal against Tamil Nadu he led from the front aWhen the team was struggling on 16/3, he smashed 113 runs with his team mate and superb batter Aman Mokhade (151). Then he bowled 43 overs in the 1st innings of Tamil Nadu and destroyed them with a five wicket haul. At the same time he made sure that Vidarbha takes crucial first innings lead if the match reaches to the draw stage. When he saw that Tamil Nadu needed more than 200 runs in their second inning and they may come to closer, he took the charge of bowling again in his hands and bowled through out the inning from one end.
He bowled 26 overs in the total of 52 overs, Tamil Nadu played and used the other bowlers from other end very brilliantly. Especially when the opener was bating dangerously and scored 98 runs. Mandar took 3 wickets in the second inning along with Pravin Rokde (4) and Jagjot Sasan (2) and won the match for his team.
About Mandar's performance senior coach Madhav Bakre said, " I was sure, he will do that because I have seen him doing such things so many times earlier. He is a tough fighter and he has the habit of winning the matches. I do remember, he doesn't leave a practice match easily for the opposition so how he will leave the quarter final?."
Vidarbha team
Akshay Wadkar (Captain & WK), Atharva Taide, Dhruv Shorey, Karun Nair, Yash Rathod,
Mohit Kale, Harsh Dubey, Lalit Yadav, Aditya Sarvate (Vice-Captain), Yash Thakur, Aditya Thakare, Darshan Nalkande, Siddhesh Wath (WK), Akshay Wakhare, Aman Mokhade, Umesh Yadav, Danish Malewar and Mandar Mahale.