Kanga League : Of wet wickets, Sunday games
The Kanga League starts this weekend in a changed schedule, its romanticism and importance eroding with time
OTHERS :
One of Mumbai cricket’s most important, if not the most prestigious tournament, kicks off on 7 September—the 66th edition of the Dr HD Kanga Memorial Cricket League. The maidans and gymkhanas, layered with unkempt grass and damp squishy patches just about recovering from the monsoon, will gear up for this big test. But the 65-year-old club tournament, which defines the city’s rich cricketing subculture, arrives in a new avatar.
Started as a monsoon tournament played on Sundays, on wet pitches that tested batsmen’s techniques and bowlers’ skills, the event has been shifted post-rains to September this year (will go on till 15 December) instead of July-October. While the tournament has undergone revamps in format over the last few years, particularly owing to the monsoon, the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) decision, though practical, steals the monsoon romanticism associated with this league. P. V. Shetty, joint secretary of the MCA, says, “We realized that in the last two years, only four matches were played and we had to do something about it."
Other practical problems have dogged the event for years, including lack of interest among current cricketers. But for a different generation, it had a different meaning.
“It used to be a Sunday morning ritual where you go to the ground hoping to get a game," says former Mumbai Ranji captain Shishir Hattangadi, who played from the mid- 1980s to mid-1990s. “It was green everywhere, ushering the start of a fresh season. Sometimes, you’d be in august company by default. Imagine fielding in third man when you find yourself next to Sunil Gavaskar fielding in first slip (on the adjacent wicket in a different match on the same large ground)."
Former India and Shivaji Park batsman Praveen Amre says, “As a child growing up in Shivaji Park, it used to be a dream for someone like me to play in the Kanga League. We used to watch the matches and a lot of the stars would turn up. As a cricketer you wanted to be there too."
This league played an integral role in the development of Mumbai cricketers, particularly batsmen, who’ve further excelled at the international level. Amre says, “You were tested mentally as a batsman, apart from your technique and temperament. You struggled, especially since the bowler was usually on top (given the conditions) and to be successful, you had to grind. Every time I performed in the Kanga League, my confidence would get boosted."
Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!