Amol Muzumdar, the head coach of the triumphant Indian women's cricket team that recently clinched the ICC World Cup, has opened up about his remarkable journey in cricket, stating he carries no regret about never representing the Indian men's team internationally. The celebrated coach emphasized that his pure love for the sport always surpassed any ambition to wear the India cap.
The Philosophy of a Mumbai Maidan Product
Speaking at the Loksatta Gappa event in Mumbai's Bandra area on Saturday, November 30, 2025, Muzumdar shared profound insights into his cricketing philosophy. "I never felt disappointed for not playing international cricket for India," he stated candidly. "I often asked myself why I started playing cricket. It was because I loved batting, I loved scoring runs—whether it was office cricket, club cricket, or Mumbai cricket. Wherever I played, I built my own world."
Regarded as the quintessential product of Mumbai's famous maidan cricket culture and mentored by the legendary late Ramakant Achrekar, Muzumdar reflected on his transformation from being known as a typically determined 'khadoos' Mumbai cricketer to becoming the strategic coach who guided the women's team to their historic World Cup victory.
From Domestic Grind to International Glory
When questioned about missing out on representing the Indian men's team despite his impressive domestic record, Muzumdar acknowledged the extraordinary competition during his playing days. "There were players like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Sourav Ganguly, and Virender Sehwag. They played over 120 Tests together. Breaking into that batting line-up was extremely difficult," he explained with remarkable perspective.
Muzumdar revisited his personal cricketing journey, beginning from school tournaments through the challenging grind of Mumbai cricket and the difficult path to securing his place in the Ranji Trophy side. During challenging phases, he remembered the encouraging words from his father: "Keep scoring runs; your opportunity will come."
Building a World Cup Winning Team
The coach spoke openly about the challenges and significant milestones during his two-year tenure as head coach of the women's national team, particularly highlighting the intense preparation and pressure building up to the World Cup tournament.
Recalling his initial meeting with the women's squad two years ago, Muzumdar revealed: "When I took over as coach two years ago, I asked the players in our very first meeting: What's your goal? Every single one of them said, 'To win the World Cup.' We achieved that. But this is only the beginning… we want to build further on this journey."
The Loksatta Gappa event featured conversations led by Loksatta Resident Editors Siddharth Khandekar from Mumbai and Siddharth Kelkar from Pune. The program was anchored by Kunal Rege, with introductory remarks delivered by Loksatta Editor Girish Kuber. The audience included prominent figures from cricket, theater, and the corporate world.
