How to tackle India? Sulakshan Kulkarni inspires Oman with story of a Mumbai club team

New Delhi, Sep 2 (PTI) What would be Oman's plan for Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav when they play the T20 world champions in Asia Cup on September 19? The usually straight-faced Oman deputy head coach Sulakshan Kulkarni starts laughing the moment this question is thrown at him.

"If I tell my players the plan now, then I can vouch by the time September 19 arrives, they will forget it for sure," Kulkarni told PTI in jest as he spoke about a gutsy Oman team, which is keen to prove its mettle against India and Pakistan in the continental showpiece starting September 9.

When asked whether Oman can be competitive against such a strong Indian team, Kulkarni, who has both played and coached Mumbai in the Indian domestic circuit, gave an interesting example about a club team called Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers (RCF) that played in Times Shield, a revered corporate tournament.

"I was the captain of RCF for 10 years. In Times Shield, we were perhaps the eighth ranked team with no players of repute. Yet we would beat teams like Indian Oil, Air India, Tatas, ACC which would have star India players.

"I led a team that would beat corporate teams represented by top India players like Dilip Vengsarkar and Sanjay Manjrekar. Mind it Times Shield in early 90s was a beast of a tournament. So that is my philosophy. Even as one of the weakest teams, we won matches with sheer optimism and positive approach and that is what I would want Oman players to have against India and Pakistan." Oman are clubbed with India, Pakistan and UAE in one of the two groups.

So how excited or nervous are the Oman players about the prospect of facing a Jasprit Bumrah or bowling to the likes of Suryakumar Yadav, Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma? "Tell me who won't be excited to play against a formidable Indian team?" he asked adding, "As an Associate nation, we are 90 to 95 per cent times playing against fellow Associate members.

"So playing India and Pakistan is not just a big challenge but a great opportunity for our players to showcase their skills.

"Nervousness, that's bound to be there before you take on a very strong team but I am telling them that it should not be there once they cross the boundary rope...Oman is one of the strongest among Associate countries. I want my boys to forget about results and play to their full potential. In T20Is, one over can change any game so you never know." What gives 58-year-old Kulkarni, who till last season was head coach of Tamil Nadu, is the fact that a few months back this Oman team beat a quality Karnataka side and a fairly decent Kerala in a three-team preparatory 50-over tournament.

"We were supposed to go the US for World League 2 tri-nation with USA and Canada. As a part of our preparations, Oman Cricket had invited Karnataka and Kerala. Karnataka was led by Mayank (Agarwal).

"We chased down 342 and 305 against Kerala and scored 330 against Karnataka. Doing well against top Indian domestic sides gave us confidence and we beat both USA and Canada in that event," Kulkarni said.

Talk about Oman head coach Duleep Mendis, the dashing Sri Lankan skipper of the 1980s, and Kulkarni simply cannot stop waxing eloquent.

"Mr Mendis is like a father figure not just for me but for Oman cricket. He has been overseeing Oman cricket for past 13-14 years and it is his credit that Oman is now one of the best Associate teams in world cricket. Every time I speak to him, I learn a lot," he added.

Kulkarni, before being appointed deputy head coach of Oman, had worked with Nepal back in 2019 when it got ODI status.

"I had come to Oman for the first time 10 years back for a camp. Credit to Oman Cricket for the kind of facilities they have provided. We have two full-sized grounds and in one of them Emerging Asia Cup was played last year.

"Our players are not full-time professionals yet as most juggle between cricket and day jobs. But Oman Cricket has also built an indoor facility for training now. We are getting there," he signed off. PTI KHS PM KHS PM PM