Hyderabad, having won all its five league games to top the table with 35 points, should have it easy against the fourth-placed Nagaland in the Ranji Trophy Plate Group semifinal at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium here from Friday.
In the league phase, Hyderabad had drubbed Nagaland by an innings and 194 runs and the latter made it to the knock-outs with two wins, two losses and a draw.
The Hyderbad batting is led by G. Rahul Singh (612 runs), Tanmay Agarwal (600) and Rohit Rayudu (273). In bowling, left-arm spinner Tanay Thyagarajan (34), who is the second highest wicket-taker in the league after Mizoram’s Mohit Jangra (36), capitalised on the early blows struck by left-arm pacer Chama Milind (21 wickets), who will miss this contest due to an injury, and Kartikeya Kak (13).
“The pitch looks good for batters. It’s slightly dry and might help the spinners later on,” Hyderabad coach D.B. Ravi Teja said on Thursday. It is an important match because if we win, we will be promoted to the elite division next season. The players are motivated.”
On the other hand, Nagaland, led by Jonathan Rongsen, will look to the likes of Sumit Kumar (508), Sedezhalie Rupreo (331) and all-rounder R.S. Jaganath Srinivas (296 and seven wickets) to deliver the goods.
In bowling, the spin trio of left-armer Imliwati Lemtur, the lead wicket-taker with 29, offie Tahmeed Rahman (12) and leggie Khrievitso Kense (14) hold the key to Nagaland’s fortunes. Pacers Karan Tewatiya, Joshua Ozukum, Jaganath Srinivas and Rongsen have to strike early blows for the spinners to take over.
