Kaushik hails Jolly Rovers’ hunger

CHENNAI: The Rajah of Palayampatti Shield success was the fruit of consistently playing good cricket throughout the TNCA First Division red-ball season, according to Jolly Rovers CC skipper and opening batter Kaushik Gandhi.

Heavyweight team Jolly Rovers regained the prestigious Shield after a season – MRC ‘A’ surprisingly clinched the crown in the 2021-22 season – as it accumulated 50 points from 11 league matches, seven points more than the second-placed Nelson SC. Jolly Rovers, which secured as many as seven outright wins in the three-day competition, sealed the title even before the 11th and final round of matches.

“We had control over things. We prepared well before the start of both the first and second halves of the season. Things fell in place… all the systems and processes. We were in control of the results,” Kaushik told DT Next on Saturday.

“We want to challenge every opponent. We do not want to let any team come and beat us easily. We know that if we play to 80 per cent of our potential, we will win on most days. We boast a very good side. Individually, we are highly-skilled players for this level,” said Kaushik, who was particularly pleased with the team’s wins over Vijay CC and MRC ‘A’.

“The focus was to keep repeating the good things, as individuals and as a team. The hunger among the players was definitely there, but not just because we lost last season (bowed out in the semi-finals in the previous season).”

Captain praises Sai and Mohan

Kaushik was effusive in his praise for top performers B Sai Sudharsan and S Mohan Prasath. While the in-form opening batter Sai Sudharsan finished as the League’s top-scorer with 1,003 runs in just 13 innings, left-arm spinner S Mohan Prasath was the team’s best bowler with 47 scalps in 18 innings.

“If Sai Sudharsan had batted the entire season (in all matches), he would have got 1,400-1,500 runs. That shows the kind of impact he has had on not only us but also Tamil Nadu cricket. It speaks volumes about his growth this year. Baba Aparajith contributed with both bat and ball. Mohan Prasath settled in very quickly, even though it was his first season at Rovers,” said Kaushik.