This defeat should strengthen our resolve: Arun Lal

RAJKOT: There is many a slip between the cup and the lip. Bengal cricketers learnt it the hard way as they lost the Ranji Trophy final to Saurashtra on first-innings lead here on Friday.
Bengal coach Arun Lal, however, was proud of his boys. “We must feel bad, depressed… but I still believe we had a better team. But that happens in cricket,” he said.
A member of the Bengal team that last won the Ranji Trophy, 30 years ago, Lal felt the boys played great cricket throughout the season. “They have made every Bengali proud, dil jeet liya,” he quipped.
The biggest takeaway from this season, the coach felt, is a happy dressing room. “The boys love each other and are happy with each other. Even the guy who was dropped didn’t sulk. He too wants to win it as badly as one who is playing. That’s the type of dressing room you want,” he said.
Taking a cue from Lal’s words, Anushtup Majumdar — the hero of Bengal’s campaign this season — said it won’t take another 13 years for Bengal to make another final. “I feel this side has a spark. They came out of the hole several times, so they know how to win,” he observed.
The middle-order batsman was, however, a bit sad about not being able to guide the team home on Friday. “Yes I should have continued longer today,” he admitted. “It was a game of patience and I feel even if both sides batted well, they (Saurashtra) bowled in better areas which made the difference,” he said, adding that Bengal bowled too many ‘boundary balls’.
Lal felt Majumdar’s departure early on the final morning did Bengal in. “Anushtup’s wicket cost us the match. And also Akash Deep’s (run out). I don’t know what happened to him. He was capable of scoring 20-25 runs and Arnab would have got 20-25 runs to take us through,” he rued.
The former India opener preferred to look ahead. “What I feel is that this defeat should strengthen our resolve. If we can come this far, we should believe we can make it the next time,” he hoped.
Asked whether he will continue next season, Lal dodged the issue. “I haven’t thought about it yet,” he said.