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Zaidi stakes claim to Ranji captaincy
THE ONGOING scramble for Uttar Pradesh team?s top job for the upcoming Ranji Trophy season took a dramatic turn on Friday with one of the senior-most members of the team Ashish Winston Zaidi putting his foot forward for the captaincy of the team.
THE ONGOING scramble for Uttar Pradesh team’s top job for the upcoming Ranji Trophy season took a dramatic turn on Friday with one of the senior-most members of the team Ashish Winston Zaidi putting his foot forward for the captaincy of the team.
Experienced Zaidi, a regular since 1988, told Hindustan Times in an exclusive chat that he should be considered for the hot seat to end all the ‘drama’ over the captaincy row. “I am a senior player of the team for the 16 years and I consider myself the most suitable for captaincy of the team,” said Zaidi over phone from Kanpur.
With a long playing record of 156 first class matches and 427 wickets in his kitty as a seam bowler, Zaidi, in the upcoming season would be looking for three more wickets to surpass the long standing domestic record of 350 wickets of former Test cricketer Madan Lal.
The tussle for captaincy has erupted since Kaif and Raina were away in South Africa playing for Team India. Former captains and seasoned batsmen Gyanendra Pandey and Jyoti Yadav are the other two in the race for the top job, while former JUNIOR INDIA captain in the Youth World Cup Ravikant Shukla is the third contender.
“There should be an end to the ongoing tussle over the captaincy issue in the absence of Mohd Kaif and Suresh Raina,” said Zaidi, adding, “I know the temper-
ament of each player in the team and I have seen UP cricket in depth so naming me as captain of the team this season would make things easier for the selectors.”
The 36-year-old sentimental Allahabadi indicated that he might call it a day at the end of the new season. “Right now I am focusing on Madan Lal’s record and also would also try to stretch the lead of wickets and then think of retirement.”
“I am in the team for the last many years only because of my consistent showing,” said who began his First Class career against Railways way back in 1988.
“I always enjoy bowling on Indian wickets,” said Zaidi, who could not get the country cap despite being a probable in the 1992 World Cup squad. Zaidi’s 10-wicket haul in the fifth Test against Pakistan at Karachi in 1992 during the India Under-19 team is still remembered by his fans. “That was a wonderful series of my life when I had a total of 45 wickets in five Tests,” recalled Zaidi.
Blessed with two sweet daughters Aashi and Khushi, the veteran speedster Zaidi, besides imparting training to budding cricketers in Allahabad, is a regular visitor to England for minor county leagues.
“I enjoy my stints in England,” said Zaidi, who is lovingly being called as ‘Pope’ by his close friends.
