Cricketers are used to getting dropped from the team and making a comeback by riding on their strong performances. For a cricket administrator though it’s an unusual thing. However, Mumbai Cricket Association’s (MCA) newly elected secretary Dr Unmesh Khanvilkar has done just this by making a comeback to the MCA fold after six long years.
On Wednesday, Khanvilkar, who was MCA’s secretary from 2015 to 2019, beat the association’s former joint secretary Shahalam Shaikh by 98 votes to return to the secretary’s post. Khanvilkar says he took inspiration from India’s 2024 T20 World Cup and 2025 Champions Trophy-winning captain Rohit Sharma.
“In the 2011 World Cup Rohit Sharma was not part of India`s World Cup squad. He went through a lot of difficulties, but scored runs for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy and made a return to the Indian team again. Rohit led India to the World Cup title. This motivated me because as administrators, we feel the same way. When we step away from one thing or when our term ends, we are not disappointed. We look to keep our work going and eye different initiatives. So, Rohit has definitely inspired my comeback after six years,” Khanvilkar told mid-day on Thursday.
Interestingly, Khanvilkar’s name was missing from the list released by the Sharad Pawar-Ashish Shelar group on the eve of the election, but he reckoned it was a blessing in disguise.
“My name was not in their panel, but at the same time, they kept the [secretary’s] place vacant. So, it was a golden opportunity, whoever wanted to stand, could do so. So, it was actually a blessing in disguise that Pawar saheb, Shehlar saheb and [Chief Minister] Devendra ji [Fadnavis] left it to the voters to decide who has the caliber to work in this position,” said Khanvilkar, who has previously worked with MCA presidents Sharad Pawar, Ashish Shelar and Dr Vijay Patil and will be a part of the Ajinkya Naik-led team. “Ajinkya is part of a young leadership group and has shown that when you have a vision and the desire to do something, age is just a number. It’s a golden opportunity to work with such a president. Among our immediate tasks is to bring uniformity in the coaching system at the various MCA academies, provide good quality pitches for the top and lower division club matches and ensure that the performances of players even in lower-division matches get due credit,” concluded Khanvilkar.