Kamal Ghorui
KOCHI: Kerala’s slide from Ranji Trophy finalists to also-rans has reignited an uncomfortable question: was last season a glorious peak built on fragile foundations?Twelve months after finishing runners-up, Kerala failed to reach the knockouts. It is a regression too sharp to ignore and too stark to be dismissed just as a blip. The drop-off has reopened fault lines within the squad, exposing fissures that a dream run may have conveniently papered over.At the heart of the decline lies a Jalaj Saxena-sized void. The veteran all-rounder’s move to Maharashtra after nine seasons left behind more than just a statistical gap; it stripped the side of control, balance and experience during clutch moments.Playing in Elite Group B, Kerala suffered innings losses to Karnataka and Chandigarh, before notching up their lone win against Goa, capping a lacklustre season spanning seven games.“As head of the family, I take full responsibility for the performances,” coach Amay Khurasiya told TOI.“We prepared with the same earnestness as we did last season when we reached the final. But there were glitches in this season across all facets of the game,” Khurasiya explained.If there was a silver lining, it came in the tireless efforts of MD Nidheesh. “His work ethic was impeccable,” Khurasiya noted. “He is a great servant for Kerala cricket.”At 34, Nidheesh was the brightest thread in Kerala’s domestic cricket’s tapestry. A workhorse with a craftsman’s touch, Nidheesh picked 28 wickets from seven games this season, dismissing heavyweights like Prithvi Shaw and Mayank Agarwal with zen-like assurance.On Kerala’s emerging talent, however, the coach was terse: “No comments.”Former Kerala pacer Tinu Yohannan was more forthcoming.“There was no one to back Nidheesh. His lieutenant Eden Tom Apple looked insipid, with the next crop of fast bowlers nowhere to be seen,” Yohannan explained.The absence of Jalaj robbed the attack of control, while former captain Sachin Baby endured a lean run with the bat.The issues ran deeper. “We have no leg-spinner,” Yohannan said, terming Kerala’s attack short on variety. Promising left-armer Mohammed Enan, he added, “is not getting the backing he needs.”For Yohannan, the failure is as much about continuity as it is about personnel. “Once you reach the summit, you have to stay there. Sustain it, build on the momentum. Kerala were unable to do that.” Ironically, preparation itself was not lacking. “They began early this season, with camps as early as in May. But it translated to nothing.”“People have to be held accountable,” he added. It was a pointed reminder that preparation without clarity and long-term planning accounts for nothing.Kerala’s domestic journey has never followed a linear trajectory. Under Dav Whatmore, they reached their first semifinal in 2018. A year later, they flirted with relegation. The pandemic- altered 2020 season reshaped the landscape yet again.For Kerala, the task ahead is no longer about rediscovering last season’s spark. It is about building something sturdier that can endure the grind of the Ranji season. Only then can Kerala prove their run to the final was not a fleeting flourish, but the beginning of something substantial.
