The epic Ranji Trophy final of 1990-’91, which Mumbai lost to Kapil Dev’s Haryana by two runs, and the tears that flowed subsequently, have stayed rooted in my memory. I watched the match from the boundary in my capacity as a ball boy. Every Mumbaikar was devastated by the loss, but we bounced back in the early 1990s with the advent of youngsters who were focussed, determined, and most importantly, hungry to excel.

We had not won a single Ranji trophy title since 1984-‘85. The drought ended in 1993-‘94 under the captaincy of Ravi Shastri. Ravi was not just a captain but a leader as well. I feel blessed to have made my Ranji debut under him. He not only instilled confidence in all of us but also taught us to be ruthless and aggressive on the field. We faced Bengal in the final at the Wankhede. They had some big names in their team but we managed to beat them. Ravi and our manager Karsan Ghavri did a commendable job.

The following year we again won under Sachin Tendulkar. Our solid batting lineup and skilful bowling attack helped us win our league matches convincingly. Here I would like to compliment the BCA Mafatlal bowling scheme, which was launched in 1991. The talent scouting camp, under the watchful eye of Frank Tyson, yielded rich individuals. It brought in a lot of fast bowlers who went on to serve Mumbai cricket for a long time.

Sanjay Manjrekar led a somewhat experienced side to the 1996-‘97 title. The semi-final and final were breathtaking affairs. The final was played under floodlights at Gwalior. We trumped Delhi by a close margin and I got my first taste of the Mumbai-Delhi tussle. This was our third title in four years, which I felt was exceptional, but somehow there was a dip in India’s representation from Mumbai. How that happened is a question to which I have no answer.

The other team that was really doing well was Karnataka. In those 4-5 years, they won the title whenever we didn’t.

By the end of the decade, we won another title under the captaincy of Sameer Dighe and coach late Shri Ashok Mankad. Kaka, as he was popularly called, played in an era when Mumbai set unparalleled benchmarks. He was visibly delighted with the win.

Mumbai went through a rebuilding phase at the start of the new millennium after losing some senior players to retirement. However, our bench strength was never weak. It took us only two years to regain the crown. We won under Paras Mhambrey in 2002-‘03 and Sairaj Bahutule in 2003-‘04, beating Tamil Nadu in the final on both occasions. We were headed for a hat-trick in 2004-‘05 but fell short against Punjab in the semis. The disciplinarian and methodical Chandrakant Pandit had been our coach since 2002 and he did an excellent job in grooming the team.

The champagne poured again in the dressing room in 2006-‘07 but not before a roller coaster ride. I have never experienced such a topsy-turvy season in my entire career. We had failed to put up even one point on the table after our first three games and where confronting the possibility of relegation to the Plate group. It was then that the tide turned. What came to the fore was the Mumbai sprit, a never-say-die attitude and resilience at its very best. We registered five outright victories and clinched the title. Our march to the final featured a thrilling semi-final against Vadodara. We were reduced to 0-5! Only after getting my hands on the trophy did I have a sigh of relief.

Wasim Jaffer had his hands full in 2008-‘09, with Mumbai winning for the 38th time. It was a year where everything seemed perfect, with Mumbai topping the batting as well as bowling averages. The celebrations that followed were memorable.

If a season goes by without Mumbai winning any silverware, there are some raised eyebrows. That is simply because of the high expectations. When you first walk into the Mumbai dressing room, you are always made aware of the glorious past. I feel every youngster must learn about it. With history comes passion and in the Mumbai side, cricket is meant to be played with passion.

Teams like Uttar Pradesh and Saurashtra have improved by leaps and bounds of late and they are sure to give their opponents a tough time in the season to come. They work hard and are cricket smart in addition to being talented.

Personally, it’s been a great journey. Every moment, every colleague, every victory, every coach and captain has been special. There were some odd years when we suffered hiccups but they have all been part of my learning process. I am proud to have been part of such a victorious unit. One thing that gives me immense pleasure today is the huge board in the Mumbai Cricket Association office on which every winning year and captain’s name is engraved. Whenever I pass it, I give it a good old wink.

Amol Muzumdar was part of eight Ranji Trophy-winning Mumbai teams in the 1990s and the new millennium. He led Mumbai to victory in the 2006-‘07 edition.