Thirty young cricketers from Kerala’s under-14 and under-16 teams were brought to Nagpur by the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA). They hoped to witness Sachin Baby’s team make history by winning their first Ranji Trophy.
Although they didn’t see their senior team lift the trophy, these youngsters took pictures with a Ranji Trophy replica, dreaming of winning the real one in the future.
The Kerala team members, heartbroken and speechless, noticed the young fans in the stands taking pictures. Sachin Baby tried to lighten the mood at the presentation, jokingly telling the Vidarbha team, “You guys have beaten us in all three knockout stages. Next time, we’ll beat you. We’ll give you a tougher time.”
In the past, Kerala was defeated by Vidarbha in the 2017-18 quarter-final and the following season’s semi-final. In 2024-25, they lost again in their first-ever final. Sachin Baby has been a part of all these defeats, and this one was particularly painful as he felt his actions significantly contributed to the loss. A victory was within reach when Baby’s attempt to score a century in his 100th first-class game backfired.
During the post-match press conference, he described his shot that led to his dismissal at 98 runs as a “brain fade moment.” A century in this game could have potentially secured their victory. However, luck seemed to have run out for Kerala after narrowly advancing through the quarter-finals and semi-finals with small leads.
“As the leader, I’ll take the blame,” he admitted. “My shot changed the momentum of the game. I wanted to stay at the crease for my team, especially when we were six wickets down. I aimed to remain there until the end and secure a lead, ideally over 100 runs, which could have made a significant difference.”
Baby struggled to explain his decision to play that particular shot, calling it more of an instinct than a calculated move, one that he expects to replay in his mind repeatedly. “I was playing grounded shots until that moment, and then I’m not sure what came over me that I played that shot. That moment, along with the dropped catch of Karun Nair, were crucial turning points in the game.”
He continued, “If I accept praise for success, I must also accept blame for failure. No player intentionally tries to get out. That shot wasn’t really planned. Perhaps it was a momentary lapse in judgment. But on this pitch, you needed to take risks and play shots. Being too defensive could have increased the pressure on both the team and myself.”
At 36, Baby is the most senior player in the team. He dislikes being called a ‘veteran’ and believes he is currently in peak physical condition, indicating his desire to continue playing. Shifting focus from himself, he added, “We still have room for improvement. I was reminding the team how Vidarbha bounced back from losing last year’s final to win the trophy this year.”
