HYDERABAD: The road to the semifinal looks tougher and tougher for Hyderabad.
Having run into troubled waters in their first three matches, Hyderabad have to fight with their backs to the wall in the next four matches. They have only three points from three matches and yet to find a winning formula. It is Mission Impossible.
Hyderabad face Orissa in their mission to wriggle out of tight spot in the Elite Group ‘A’ four-day Ranji Trophy match at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium from Tuesday.
Coach SL Venkatapathy Raju is aware of the piquant situation that his team is facing after some shoddy performances so far. ``It is tough for Hyderabad. We have to face strong teams like Tamil Nadu and Mumbai still. It is not just this match but all the remaining matches are important for us. It is all in the team’s hands. The boys have to pull up their socks,’’ said a frustrated Raju.
Hyderabad would like to be more aggressive in this match. ``We can’s be defensive any longer,’’ added Raju, who is expecting the wicket to be lively and bowler friendly. The home team desperately wants a match winner, both in batting and bowling. Both the batting and bowling has lacked the intensity and hence have been pushed to the wall, thinks Raju. ``There is too much of a laidback attitude among the players,’’ he said.
The Hyderabad batting has yet to fire this season. That is the hurting Hyderabad. The selectors even dropped openers T Suman and outof- form DB Ravi Teja. There has been criticism by omitting Suman, who has often been guilty of throwing away his wicket after getting off to a good start. The detractors feel that if form is the criteria why has the same yardstick not used for players like like Arjun Yadav and Abhinav Kumar. Arjun Yadav has repeatedly failed to deliver the goods. But it is a fact that some of the players need to learn a lesson or two from the diminutive Ahmed Quadri, the crisis man of Hyderabad batting. He has stood tall every time he has walked into the crease Hyderabad would rely on Quadri to take up the challenge. Some big scores have been eluding Ambati Rayudu, who was out to a beautiful delivery against Gujarat in the last match after making 61. Left-hander Anirudh Singh, too, played a good knock before he fell to a fine delivery.
Hyderabad will have a new set of openers in this match. The choice may be between Abhinav, Shashank Nag and D Rushi Raj. It is time the selectors play wicketkeeper Ibrahim Khaleel, who brings solidity to the middle order, in this match.
Hyderabad bowlers have to take 20 wickets to win this match. Leftarm spinner Pragyan Ojha will not be available as he is in the Indian squad for the Kanpur Test. Off-spinner Vishal Sharma, a fine fielder also, should get the nod ahead of the left-arm spinner Lalith Mohan.
Both Hyderabad and Orissa are at the bottom of the Group A and are fighting for survival in Super League. For Orissa, it has not been a good season like the Hyderabad team. Interestingly, Raju was Orissa’s coach last season. Hyderabad gained first innings lead against Orissa at Cuttack. But the visitors have a sweet memory at this venue as they beat the home team two years ago. Coach Abakash Khatua said they were looking for the first innings lead and then aim for a win.
