After the victory vs Mumbai, MP players carried Chandrakant Pandit on their shoulders.
Sarfaraz Khan to Rajat Patidar, Slow googly on the off stump. Patidar played a cut shot, took a single and sealed the game against the giants of Ranji, Mumbai. MP camp came running towards the pitch. Loud cheers, celebrations, players jumping at each other, and all that.
But, a man was walking towards the pitch, his eyes moist, hands folded, head held high. His full body language had a look that spoke of emotion compared to all the celebrations around him. After all, what happened was just not the season to make up. For Chandrakant Pandit, it was something he would have thought about every day for the last 23 years.
a tearful eye Chandrakant walking towards his players celebrating
It was 1989 – Chinnaswamy Stadium, Madhya Pradesh v Karnataka, Ranji Trophy final. Chandrakant Pandit, who is now the coach of MP, was the captain of the team at that time. The dream that was broken in 1998 was going full circle to fulfill its destiny after 23 years in 2022.
MP won the final of Ranji Trophy by defeating Mumbai by six wickets.
Pandit, who was slowly approaching his players, got a little quicker, joined the team, stood in the middle and rejoiced as if there was no tomorrow. Happiness, tears, excitement – everything was on Chandrakant’s face.
Chandrakant Pandit in the middle of MP after victory vs Mumbai.
MP players gathered together, deservedly pulled Chandrakant on their shoulders, and went around the field.
After the match, an emotional Pandit said, ‘I had left something 23 years ago, and God willingly brought me back to the same position.’ ‘It’s a great memory that I left behind 23 years ago, and it’s a blessing that I came back here, and it was fantastic to win this trophy. It’s emotional because I missed out on the same ground as captain.
It’s fair to say. They don’t write better scripts out there.