After two below-par performances towards Gujarat and Goa, Karnataka will search for an announcement win towards Tripura within the Ranji Trophy Group-C encounter on the Maharaja Bir Bikram Faculty Stadium right here beginning Friday.
Following a rousing win towards Punjab, Karnataka has collected simply three factors from two matches. In a difficult group with greater than two quarterfinal contenders, it will possibly ill-afford one other underwhelming effort.
The eight-time champion must do with a diminished batting line-up, vice-captain Nikin Jose’s return to type however. Devdutt Padikkal, who has scored 369 runs this season with two centuries, is away on India-An obligation, whereas Manish Pandey will miss the tie due to a palm harm.
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Opener R. Samarth has recovered from a bout of viral fever, however with there being issues about D. Nischal’s health — palm harm — the crew administration could hand a debut to 22-year-old right-hand batter Ok.V. Aneesh.
It stays to be seen if 17-year-old all-rounder Hardik Raj, introduced into the squad as a like-for-like alternative for the left-handed Shubhang Hegde, is given his first cap as effectively.
If there may be one space the place Karnataka is totally stocked, it’s in quick bowling. Vidwath Kaverappa rejoining the squad means it has a full battery of pacers, however with groups this version taking part in a match each 4 days, rotation might be on the playing cards.
But it surely all will depend on the climate. When Tamil Nadu performed right here earlier this month, simply 51 overs of play was doable due to heavy fog. Wriddhiman Saha’s Tripura, which began with a thumping win over Goa, then travelled to Mohali, solely to be thwarted once more, with simply 45.5 overs bowled.
A crew that secured the first-innings lead over Gujarat, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh final season, and beat the likes of Saurashtra and Mumbai within the Vijay Hazare Trophy this marketing campaign absolutely deserves its second underneath the solar.