An epitaph on the Ranji Trophy

So Bombay wins easily — with an enormous six smashed just in front of where I sit, no less — and the players shake hands and they all retire slowly to the pavilion. What’s the happy audience at the Wankhede chanting? “Jeetega bhai jeetega, Mumbai jeetega (Mumbai will win)“, to push the team on to greater Ranji glory? “Jaffer, Jaffer”, paying tribute to the captain, now the most prolific run-scorer in Ranji Trophy history? No, it’s “Rahul, Rahul”. Which manages to leave me simultaneously encouraged and sad. Somewhere in that conundrum is a story about a once-proud tournament.