Tamil Nadu coach Sulakshan Kulkarni expressed his disappointment with skipper R Sai Kishore's decision-making during the Mumbai vs Tamil Nadu semi-final of the Ranji Trophy 2023-24. Kulkarni believed that Kishore made a crucial error by choosing to bat first after winning the toss on a green-top pitch. Addressing the media on March 4 (Monday), following the match's conclusion, Kulkarni remarked that Tamil Nadu essentially lost the semi-final at 9:00 AM on the first day of the game due to this decision.
"I always speak straightforward -- we lost the match at 9 o'clock on day one. The moment I saw the wicket I exactly knew what we were going to get. Everything was set, we won the toss, as a coach, as a Mumbaikar, I know the conditions well. We should have bowled but the captain had some different instinct," said Sulakshan Kulkarni after the coach as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
Tamil Nadu Were No Match For Mumbai
Sai Kishore's decision to bat first proved to be detrimental as Tamil Nadu found themselves struggling at 42 for 5 in the first session. Their batting woes persisted, and they were eventually bowled out for 146. In response, Mumbai posted a formidable total of 378 in their first innings. Tamil Nadu could only muster 162 in their second innings, leading to their exit from the Ranji Trophy 2023-24 in a match that concluded within three days.
“When I saw that they had played on a different pitch in the quarter-final and what wicket they gave, (that) moment I realised that this is a seaming-friendly wicket and it was going to be a very tough match, we would have to play really well to win this game," Kulkarni added.
'Ultimately He Is The Boss" Said Kulkarni
In light of Sai Kishore's decision to bat first in the semi-final against Mumbai, Tamil Nadu coach Sulakshan Kulkarni acknowledged that while he can provide feedback and input on wicket conditions and the opposition's mindset, the captain has the final say.
Kulkarni explained that the team was mentally prepared to bowl first but the decision to bat influenced the batters negatively. He further highlighted that losing key players early in the first hour set the tone for the match, making it challenging for Tamil Nadu to recover, ultimately leading to their defeat.
"Ultimately he [Sai Kishore] is the boss. I can give my feedback and inputs (on) the kind of wickets and Mumbai's mindset also. We were mentally prepared that whoever wins the toss would bowl first. We knew that we would bowl first. The moment they (TV broadcast) said we would bat first, whatever you say, it goes in the batsmen's minds. That first half an hour (before play) got in the batsmen's minds,” said the Tamil Nadu coach as per ESPNcricinfo.
"When you get into the first over, third (fourth) ball, your international player gets out and you see the situation… in the first hour, we lost the game and the plot. It was very difficult to come back," he added further.