Maximum City, Maximum Players

Talk to any ardent lover of Mumbai cricket and he will go on and on about the unrivalled maidan culture and the never-say-die spirit it inculcates in the psyche of its players. And if there's still some time left, he'll recall the days of yore wherein seven to nine members of Team India were from his beloved city.

Not surprisingly, champion cricketers from this metropolis have made their presence felt in every World Cup since 1975. Without an iota of doubt, the greatest of them is Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar. Six tournaments, 45 appearances, 2,278 matches, a Player of the Tournament award and a big trophy to cap it all.

If the Master Blaster scores on all fronts, so does Zaheer Khan. Combining with Javagal Srinath and Ashish Nehra in 2003, Zak played a major role in India's march to the final. Eight years later, he finished as the joint-highest wicket-taker — 21 scalps — on home soil as MS Dhoni's men in Blue emulated Kapil's Devils after a 28-year lull.

In all, 16 Mumbaikars have represented India at the quadrennial showpiece event (see box). This time, two gifted players — Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane — will join the bandwagon. At the same time, Delhi, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu — three other powerhouses — have produced 14, nine and eight World Cuppers respectively.

Ever wondered why Mumbai do what they always do? For a city that benefited from British largesse in the form gymkhanas on Marine Drive and elsewhere, Mumbai is the only city in the world which boasts three Test venues. So rich is the legacy and pride associated with the game that Ranji Trophy stalwarts have put the team ahead of their families. One such cricketer rushed to play a Ranji Trophy game after tying the knot! Dedication is in their blood. That apart, the several maidans toughen up the players, churning out run-hungry batsmen as young as 12 years old. Their sole aim: to don the Lion's Crest, Mumbai cricket enviable symbol. Like former India skipper Dilip Vengsarkar puts it, "The challenge was to break into the Mumbai side. Once you did that, making the Indian team was easy."

If Sharma has had to wait for eight years and 127 ODIs — that's got to be a record! — before assuring himself of a World Cup slot, then Rahane's magnificent form in Test cricket has made him an automatic choice in the ODI side.

Mumbai coach Pravin Amre is someone who has closely monitored the rise and rise of these talented right-handers. But first a word on his journey.

"That Mumbaikars have played a major role in every World Cup campaign is a matter of pride for me. To me, the World Cup is like the Olympic Games. It's played once every four years. From Sunil Gavaskar to Dilip Vengsarkar, Sandeep Patil to Sanjay Manjrekar, Sachin Tendulkar to to Zaheer Khan, we have had great Mumbaikars excel in the World Cup," says the 46-year-old who is among the most respected coaches in the country.

Amre, who did his bit in the 1992 edition, recalls the day he decided to "take cricket seriously". "I was barely 15 when Kapil Dev lifted the World Cup in 1983. I'll never forget that day. You can call it the turning point of my career. That's the day I told myself that, come what may, I will play the game at the highest level. Nearly 20 years later, I even realised my dream of playing in a World Cup. Sachin was my roommate in Australia," he adds.

For Amre, the high of turning out for your country in the World Cup is simply unmatched. And he wants Sharma and Rahane to make the most of this opportunity. "As always, the Mumbaikars in this team will be expected to take a lot of workload. Both Rohit and Ajju (Rahane) are impact players. I hope they take it as a challenge. These days, they play the national anthem before the start of every game. I can't explain in words the emotions our players will go through," he says.

Vengsarkar, who featured in three World Cups — 1979, 1983 and 1987 — seconds Amre. "One will open the innings; the other will bat at No. 3 or No. 4. Together with Virat Kohli, they are the most important batsmen in the side. They have it them to win matches single-handedly. I wish them well," he says.

Amre wants Sharma to make amends for the snub of 2011. "Failure teaches you something more than success. The Rohit I know now is a much improved and mature version of the player who was not picked in the 15-member squad four years ago. He was a hurt man. But I am happy he learnt from his mistakes," he says.

Rahane, one of Amre's star wards, has been in scintillating form for the better part of the Australian summer. And not surprisingly, great things are expected from him. "This is a big tournament for Ajju. He has to carry his Test form into the ODI game now," Amre says. "I hope Ajju and Rohit combine well. I want them to run some quick singles," he adds.

How about calling in Marathi? That wouldn't be a bad idea. Both Amre and Vengsarkar concur.