A very good Ranji season is often adopted by Tamil Nadu committing hara-kiri the next season. It’s a sample that has repeated over the previous few years. However Day 1 of a brand new Ranji season, Tamil Nadu have extra causes to be optimistic. With their tempo pack – the weak hyperlink within the group – delivering in partnership, they shut out Saurashtra for 203 within the opening spherical of the Ranji Trophy fixture on the SNR School Grounds in Coimbatore.
Regardless of making the semi-finals final season, it is a new-look Tamil Nadu aspect. They sprung a shock when the group sheets have been exchanged on the toss. They handed three debuts – two to seamers Gurjapneet Singh and Sonu Yadav with Vijay Shankar’s identify lacking from the XI. Whereas it was revealed as a precautionary measure given his current damage points, that he took the sector in its place raised eyebrows. However TN appeared a aspect that desires to construct on from the momentum they gained final season. In L Balaji they’ve a brand new head coach and help employees. They’ve a new-look younger choice committee led by 39-year-old Ok Vasudevadas.
And with simply three dwelling fixtures lined up this season and totally conscious that away legs in opposition to Delhi, Assam, Railways and Jharkhand have the potential to be a tough encounters if the circumstances are seamer-friendly, TN appeared ready. Having relied on flat decks that bear put on and tear and turners at dwelling, they rolled out a inexperienced monitor and fielded three seamers within the XI regardless of the absence of Sandeep Warrier.
“It’s Bala bhai’s fashion of play,” captain R Sai Kishore mentioned. “He feels that quick bowlers are going to win you the Ranji Trophy. So, we’re going to maintain quick bowlers alive, how we’re going to make quick bowlers additionally share the whole tally of wickets. That may make an enormous distinction within the subject. I realized watching others in the course of the Duleep Trophy tips on how to deal with pacers. So straightaway stepping in was good,” he mentioned.
That Saurashtra gained the toss and elected to bat first supplied them the chance to benefit from the inexperienced monitor. That there was dampness due to seasonal rains, helped in addition to Sonu began Saurashtra’s slide by eradicating Harvik Desai within the fourth over for a nought. He then had Parswaraj Rana dismissed off a no-ball, as Saurashtra began tentatively. And as soon as the 2 debutants accomplished their first spell, it was the much less celebrated M Mohammed, who has a historical past of stepping up at essential junctures, who broke Saurashtra’s again. With a relentless line outdoors off-stump, his fuller size and motion was troubling Chirag Jani and Rana. And in successive overs, he had each caught within the cordon as Saurashtra took lunch at 88/3.
Pujara loses the battle to Sai Kishore
On a day the place the pacers referred to as the photographs, Tamil Nadu’s captain R Sai Kishore had his moments beneath the solar as properly. Throughout their quarterfinal conflict earlier this 12 months on the identical venue, he had a gripping battle with Cheteshwar Pujara. Again then Sai Kishore had leaned on Hanuma Vihari to know tips on how to maintain Pujara, a superb participant of spin bowling, quiet. This time he didn’t have to as from the second Pujara got here in, the left-arm spinner pinned him to the crease.
Regardless of the pitch not providing flip, he examined Pujara’s edges repeatedly with a number of of the batsman’s leaves lacking the off-stump narrowly. The “oooohs and aaahs” weren’t bothering Pujara and till Sai Kishore despatched down an unplayable one, third ball after the lunch. It wants one thing particular to take out Pujara and this one from Sai Kishore that landed on center and leg line, simply spun sufficient to beat the batsman’s defence. Pujara was completely squared up. “It got here out properly. I’m very grateful. I can’t say I did it. I felt it instinctively. For every thing to occur, all credit to the Lord. However I’m very pleased. If you take a category participant’s wicket, on such a pitch with the ball simply barely turning away (factors skywards)” Sai Kishore mentioned.
And as soon as Sai Kishore gave the elevate, Mohammed adopted it up within the subsequent over by eradicating Sheldon Jackson as Saurashtra’s slide continued. Thereafter Sai Kishore and Pradosh Ranjan Paul chipped in with a few strikes earlier than Sonu got here again to scrub up the tail. However not earlier than Arpit Vasavada – Saurashtra’s disaster man – got here up with a usually preventing knock. With Prerak Mankad and captain Jaydev Unadkat offering some solidity, his unbeaten 62 took Saurashtra previous 200.
Temporary scores: Saurashtra 202 (Arpit Vasavada 62 n.o, Chirag Jani 34; Sonu Yadav 3/30, M Mohammed 3/38, R Sai Kishore 3/52) vs TN 0/0.