In the quaint setting of the IIT-Chemplast ground, Tamil Nadu will fight for survival. The host desperately needs a win over Uttar Pradesh in a crucial Ranji Trophy Group ‘B’ match beginning here on Saturday.
In a contest that will test its nerve, Tamil Nadu will seek a comprehensive team effort. With 13 points from six matches, the side is now placed sixth in the nine-team group. Only the top three sides qualify for the quarterfinals.
UP better-placed
Uttar Pradesh is far better-placed. The side heads the group with 21 points from six matches. A favourable result here could virtually guarantee qualification.
The visitor, however, will be without three key players – Suresh Raina, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar and Piyush Chawla are part of the Indian Twenty20 side against England – for the contest.
Fitness worries
Tamil Nadu might eye an opportunity here but the side has its own fitness worries. Skipper L. Balaji is still nursing a toe injury and senior batsman S. Badrinath has a sore back. Both will miss the game. And the side is already without R. Ashwin, a regular in the Indian team in all formats.
The surface for the game is likely to assist spin and left-arm spinner Aushik Srinivas and off-spinner Malolan Rangarajan will carry much of the side’s hopes. Left-arm spinner Rahil Shah, who could do some damage here with his line and trajectory, might receive a look-in as well.
Stand-in captain Dinesh Karthik said, “It is a challenging situation for the side. Everyone has to put his hand up and accept responsibility.”
As Karthik admitted, consistency has eluded the side this season. The team has performed in fits and starts even if the first innings lead over Baroda in the last away game was an improvement. Karthik has been the leading run-scorer for the side this season with 365 runs at 60.83.
The form of openers Abhinav Mukund and Murali Vijay has been an area of concern for Tamil Nadu.
In the middle-order R. Prasanna has donned the mantle of a ‘savior.’
Paceman Yomahesh bowled with verve in the game against Baroda but Tamil Nadu’s bowling has largely lacked penetration this season. The side has missed a spearhead.
Mohammed Kaif has not only infused spirit in the Uttar Pradesh side but also shown the way himself with the willow – he has 514 runs at 57.11 this season. He is a vastly experienced campaigner.
Mukul Dagar, Parvinder Singh and Tanmay Srivatsav have also batted capably for the side but the visitors appear to be short on spin.
Uttar Pradesh has been heavily dependent on its pacemen with Bhuvaneshwar (27 wickets) doing most of the damage. In his absence, Imitiaz Ahmed (22 wickets) assumes the role of the lead paceman. The injury-prone Sudip Tyagi is also around. Yet, left-arm spinner Ali Murtaza – he has just two scalps from two matches so far – could find himself in a central role in the Uttar Pradesh attack here.
The teams: Tamil Nadu: D. Karthik (capt.), M. Vijay, A. Mukund, K.B. Arun Karthik, B. Aparajith, R. Prasanna, Vijay Shankar, V. Yomahesh, M. Rangarajan, S. Sam, R. Shah, R. Aushik Srinivas, M. Mohammad, K. Gandhi.
Uttar Pradesh: M. Kaif (capt.), T. Srivatsav, M. Dagar, Parvinder Singh, Prashanth Gupta, A. Nath, A. Khan, Praveen Gupta, Umang Sharma, Ali Murtaza, Imitiaz Ahmed, S. Tyagi, A. Rajpoot, Amit Singh, E. Dwivedi.
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via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/sport/cricket/ranji-trophy-group-b-match-tamil-nadu-desperately-seeks-a-win/article4226709.ece
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