Unlikely teams in Ranji Trophy title clash
If they were taking bets on the Ranji Trophy tournament, bookies would have offered odds of 1000 to one or something similarly outrageous on a Baroda-Railways final
Partab Ramchand
10-Apr-2001
If they were taking bets on the Ranji Trophy tournament, bookies would
have offered odds of 1000 to one or something similarly outrageous on
a Baroda-Railways final. And it is fair to say that no punter, even
those who believe in taking unusual bets, would have placed a wager on
such an eventuality.
A little background would probably put the picture in clearer
perspective. Baroda's last title round appearance was in 1957-58.
Since then, they were almost always the bridesmaids and never the
bride in the West Zone itself. Second to Mumbai, or third behind
Mumbai and Maharashtra, Baroda would just about make it to the knock
out stage and then make an early exit. So certainly a team which last
won the Ranji Trophy 43 years ago could not have been fancied to be
strong challengers for the title.
But in Baroda's case, they had at least inscribed their names on the
trophy four times, the three earlier triumphs coming in 1942-43,
1946-47 and 1949-50. During the same period, Baroda had finished
runners-up twice, in 1945-46 and 1948-49. So the West Zone team had a
rich tradition and history on their side, even if they had fallen on
rather hard times in the recent past. Railways on the other hand
cannot boast of the kind of record that Baroda has. Sure, they do have
history on their side, but not the kind of hoary tradition associated
with Baroda.
Railways made their debut in the Ranji Trophy only in 1958-59 and for
some years they were a force to reckon with in the strong North Zone.
But with Delhi and Services too in the same zone, qualification for
the knockout stage was next to impossible. In the mid 70s, Railways
moved to the Central Zone and made a few forays into the knockout
stage as the second team in the zone. And in 1987-88, a combination of
luck and skill saw Railways, quite unexpectedly, make the title round
where however they were worsted by Tamil Nadu. Since then their record
in the national competition did not even remotely suggest that they
would make the final a second time. And yet, here they are again
clashing with Baroda in the five day final to be held at Baroda from
April 19 to 23.
It is a final between unlikely opponents but no one can say that
Baroda and Railways do not deserve to be there. Baroda in succession
defeated Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Orissa while Railways in the knockout
rounds got the better of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Punjab. There is
something positive about the victories notched up by the two finalists
for if their opponents did not have the services of some of their
leading players, Baroda and Railways too were not always at full
strength. Also their performance in the knockout rounds is creditable
for neither Baroda nor Railways finished on top in their respective
zones. Baroda were only third behind Mumbai and Maharashtra in the
West Zone while Railways were second to Rajasthan in the Central Zone.
But they raised the level of their game when it mattered most.
Both teams are expected to be at full strength for the title clash
with Zaheer Khan back to represent Baroda and Murali Kartik back to
play for Railways. And while a final between these two teams may lack
the glamour of a final involving Mumbai or Punjab, Hyderabad or
Karnataka, Baroda and Railways could still provide the perfect climax
to the country's premier national competition with a close finish.
Predicting the winner is fraught with danger.