Ranji Trophy 2019-20 | Bengal players took a vow to come back stronger next year, reveals Manoj Tiwary

It required a great bowling effort from Saurashtra to make a difference in the Ranji Trophy final against Bengal. Despite batting the opposition out in the first three days, the onus was on the home side to pick wickets in Bengal’s first innings. It required a last-ditch effort from the skipper Jaydev Unadkat to send the away side packing with two wickets in the end. Following the loss, Bengal’s veteran player Tiwary revealed that the team has taken a vow to come back stronger next year. 

“We took a vow that we will come back stronger next year. Fitter, tougher, sharper and hungrier, with more belief in our abilities. Every individual will be a better individual and a better cricketer next season. You could see that resolve on their face. As a leader, that’s what you look for in a team,” he told Indian Express. 

While it marked their first final since 2007, their journey to the final has been rather difficult. Not only did they have to scrap their way through against Punjab and Rajasthan but they had a tough start against Odisha in the quarter-finals. 

Despite being five down early on in the session, a remarkable partnership between Anustup Majumdar and Shahbaz Ahmed put them in a winning position. They also had to face Karnataka in the semi-finals, which in the end turned to be a rather one-sided contest, thanks to the Bengal bowling unit. 

“So we reflected on some of our good days, the fight we showed and the belief we had. Like in the semifinal against Karnataka, the quarterfinal against Odisha. The victories over Punjab and Rajasthan. We had 20-25 great days, few teams enjoy that over a season. We talked about the highs and positives. There were several positives. So we should be immensely proud of what we achieved and hence show no grief,” he concluded.