Mumbai: There was a time when almost half the Indian Test team was made up of Mumbai cricketers, but the numbers have dwindled and Mumbai Cricket Association`s (MCA) new President Ravi Savant has identified the problem as lack of discipline and fitness.
"Over the years the scene has changed and we find one or two players from Mumbai in the Indian team. I don`t want to say the past glory can come back but we have to set our goal higher. One such step towards that goal shall be strict discipline amongst players individually as well as a team," Savant said.
"The players are the ambassadors of the association and must keep the dignity and honour of the game and MCA paramount. I shall not compromise on discipline," he added.
Savant told the MCA`s member clubs here last night that the association would strive hard to bring back the glorious days.
Mumbai cricket, of late, has been let down by a number of incidents of indiscipline.
Veteran speedster Ajit Agarkar returned home last season from Cuttack in a huff after being dropped from the playing XI, while last month two key Mumbai players, top order batsman, part-time bowler Abhishek Nayar and medium pacer Dhawal Kulkarni had allegedly abused umpires in the Darashah tournament final held in Bangalore.
They were reprimanded and dropped from a pre-season tournament in Nagpur following a letter of complaint received from the Karnataka State Cricket Association.
Savant, meanwhile, also wanted the players to be match fit.
"The players have to be match fit before selection at all levels and strict instructions are being issued already to the physios, coaches and selectors. Physios shall be accountable for any breakdown during the match and liable for penal action," he said.
"For this (fitness) purpose we shall create facilities at our academy for rehab of players," he added.
PTI
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.