Individual commitment to a group effort. That, perhaps, best explains Saurashtra’s cricket journey over the past decade. Although they started competing as Saurashtra from the 1950-51 season, it wasn’t until 2012-13 that they turned title contenders. After making three appearances in the final (2012-13, 2015-16 and 2018-19), Saurashtra finally took home the trophy they last won in 1943-44 (as Western India) in the 2019-20 season.
What has made this team a champion side is not an assembly of stars, but a line-up of players who are deeply committed to the cause and a system which has nurtured them over a sustained period. They do have stars like Ravindra Jadeja and Cheteshwar Pujara, who come in when they are not on national duty, but the others stand up for the count when the occasion arises. Case to point are the knockouts. In the absence of their regular skipper and lead pacer Jaydev Unadkat, Chetan Sakariya spearheaded the bowling attack from the front.
