New Dawn

After serving out of the first two Ranji games on disciplinary grounds, Mondeep Mangela is itching to make it count with the ball

Suhrid Barua, Pune Mirror, November 25, 2008

be out of the side because of poor form or injury niggles is always a 'disappointing feeling' for any cricketer, but when one is kept on the sidelines on 'disciplinary grounds' and then afforded an opportunity to stage a return to the side, the urge to justify selection in the side is even more compelling.Maharashtra's outstation seamer Mondeep Mangela must be plumbing the same as he gears up to don the State colours in the third Ranji Trophy tie against Uttar Pradesh beginning in Kanpur on Sunday.

The right-arm seamer knows how to unleash bouncers on the batsmen and also knows a trick or two about coping with that, too. "I know what you are trying to ask me. You are referring to the disciplinary grounds on which I was kept out of the side. Let me tell you that whatever has happened is history and I'm looking ahead," he chooses his words carefully.

The 22-year-old bowler, who made his Ranji debut for Mumbai in the 2006-07 season, said that mistakes will happen but the important thing is to learn from that and not repeat again. "I'm human only, so I'm bound to commit mistakes. Nobody does it intentionally."It can be recalled that the BCCI's new ruling of having only one foreign player in State teams meant that the MCA was left with little 'time' and 'option' to find a replacement for Sri Lankan Sujeeva De Silva (he was originally picked along with Enamul Haque).

And the State association zeroed in on Mangela. So is he feeling jittery by the weight of expectations? "Pressure is there but I don't think so much about all these things. Obviously, the people who matter must have seen something in me and picked me to play for Maharashtra. They will be some level of expectations from me to contribute in the bowling department and I'm looking to live upto that," quipped the Air India employee.Maharashtra's bowling attack has largely revolved around Samad Fallah in the first two Ranji games, and there were growing signs that there was lack of support for the left-arm seamer.

So does he think that his inclusion in the eleven would ease the workload on Fallah? "Look, Fallah is in prime form at the moment. If I get picked to play against Uttar Pradesh, I would only be looking to get wickets and help my team do well. It's not my business to think whether my inclusion would ease the bowling burden on X or Y player. My job would be to execute the plans laid by our team think-tank, nothing more," Mangela said with a touch of maturity.

What would make Mangela's job easy (provided he gets to play against Uttar Pradesh) is that he and Fallah are good buddies. "Fallah and I go a long way. We've trained together at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore. I'm sure I am going to enjoy bowling in tandem with Fallah. Also, not many people don't know that Fallah is the biggest prankster in the side. You never know when you will pull a fast one," he concluded (grins).