Mumbai, Jan 22 Siddhesh Lad’s father and veteran coach Dinesh Lad, who was the childhood coach of former India skipper Rohit Sharma, expressed immense pride after his son was named captain of Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy match against Hyderabad, which began on Thursday at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.
Siddhesh is leading the side in the absence of regular skipper Shardul Thakur, a moment Dinesh described as a significant honour given Mumbai’s rich cricketing legacy.
Dinesh has coached Rohit Sharma and Mumbai captain Shardul Thakur in their formative years. His son, Siddhesh, was named captain of the side after Thakur opted out of the Ranji game against Hyderabad due to an injury he suffered to his leg.
“Leading Mumbai is a very big honour. It is as good as leading India, if you know Mumbai’s cricketing history. Mumbai has given the world some of the finest cricketers, and the current lot also has several top players. And leading the team with big names on the side is a huge deal. So I’m really happy for Siddhesh and proud that my son is leading Mumbai,” Dinesh told IANS while speaking of Siddhesh being handed the captaincy in Thakur’s absence.
Dinesh praised his son’s ability to deliver under pressure, calling him a dependable presence for the team in difficult situations. “He’s dubbed the crisis man for Mumbai. Whenever the team has been in trouble, he’s there. Any problem, like if Mumbai are on 30/3 or 30/4, he’s there. He was the player of the match in the last game. He’s doing really well this season,” he said.
He further highlighted the satisfaction of seeing his students perform on the big stage, including Siddhesh, Thakur, and Suved Parkar, all of whom feature in the current Mumbai setup.
“Siddhesh is not only my son but also my student. Shardul, too, was my student in his formative years. Suved Parkar, who is in the playing XI alongside Siddhesh, is also my student. It feels good to see my students do well on the big stage. I always say that these kids grow in their careers not because of me but because of their hard work and talent. All I have done is guide them. I’ll never take credit for their success. They have justified their talent,” he said.
Reflecting on Siddhesh taking over the leadership role from Thakur, who is recovering from a minor injury, Dinesh expressed his pride and shared a simple message for his son.
“It feels good that Shardul led the team first, and now Siddhesh is leading. I feel really proud. My only message to Siddhesh will be play good cricket and make the team proud,” he said.
Siddhesh comes into the Hyderabad fixture in fine form. In Mumbai’s previous Ranji Trophy encounter against Puducherry, the right-handed batter was named Player of the Match after scoring a commanding 170 off 285 balls in the first innings. Mumbai went on to register a massive innings-and-222-run victory.
With leadership responsibilities and consistent performance to his name, Siddhesh will be hoping to make the most of this opportunity as he continues his push for higher honours.
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