Kotak, who started his cricketing career in the season Ravi Shastri was playing his last, is known as a batsman who doesn’t give an inch. West Zone cricket circles are riddled with stories of his grinding batting style that banks on a simple motto ‘first tire them and then hit them’. And Kotak says that he banked on his old formula while facing Pollock, Ntini, Langeveldt and Peterson. “I have believed all my life that patience is the key and today I proved it against the best in business,’’ he says.

As an afterthought, he adds, “Just check my domestic record and you will know how this has worked for me”. Nearly 5000 runs at an average of 40 plus in the longer version. And 2000 runs and 50 wickets in one-dayers. Nobody has that kind of one-day record in India,’’ he says.

Ask him about the Safs bowling attack and he makes a face that shows that he is in no mood to badmouth anyone. What about their only spinner Robin Peterson? “Won’t even have played for Saurashtra,’’ he says.

As he moves on, one final query. Was this the most satisfying day of his cricketing career? “Could be. But I didn’t remember to collect a stump as a souvenir,” he says. If one thought he would run to collect the missed memorabilia, the team bus is ready to move. With the long hard journey ahead, he opts to move on.