Ranji Trophy: Time for Mumbai to do a reality check following shock loss to Jammu and Kashmir

Former India cricketer and currently coach of Jammu and Kashmir, Sunil Joshi could not believe it. He had not seen Mumbai go down so badly in his 20-year career. The left-arm spinner's four-day experience in the first round of Ranji Trophy game between the two teams made him wonder about what's wrong with the domestic giants.

"I think for the first time in last 20 years of my career, I saw Mumbai so weak. Especially, considering their history in the game. I have always seen their legendary batsmen not giving chances and strong in defence. I think in both the innings of this match, Mumbai batsmen were not ready to accept the challenge. They were so vulnerable against fast bowling," Joshi summed up Mumbai's performance.

This particular statement should make Mumbai cricket ponder over what is going wrong and why they have not been able to produce the kind of talent that they had only few years ago.

The result in itself was not shocking considering the unimpressive way Suryakumar Yadav-led outfit played all four days. They were outbatted and outbowled by their lesser experienced counterparts.

Agreed that last two years, Mumbai team is in a transition phase after some of their big name players hung up their boots or shifted to another state. But expecting such an eventuality, the process of finding replacements should have begun long time ago.

However, all said and done, a knee-jerk reaction could be harmful to to Mumbai cricket. Blooding youngsters is the right option and this is what coach Praveen Amre believes in.

"I think that's what we say, there are a couple of new faces but we are hoping they deliver for us. Wasim (Jaffer) getting injured was the biggest blow, he is out of the next three games and that will be a challenge for me," said Amre.

"We are hoping the youngsters whom the selectors backed perform for Mumbai because we have to move on as this is the future of Indian cricket. As a coach I have to give time to players and back them. It's easy to criticise during failures but it's also important to back good talent," he said.

Amre felt that the management and the selectors need to work together. "Mumbai cricket is in such a stage that everyone has to work on the same page. That's very critical. We cannot say this is right that is wrong. We have to move ahead. As a Mumbai cricketer right now, I know its tough to earn Mumbai cap. Its time for all to come on one page and go and deliver for Mumbai cricket. It's very important time for Mumbai cricket now," he added.