CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu will look to make best use of the home conditions and go for full points when they take on Uttarakhand in the second round of the Elite D group Ranji Trophy tie at the MA Chidambaram Stadium here from Sunday.
They drew their previous game against Rajasthan and managed to get just one point.
On the other hand, Uttarakhand got three points from their drawn match against Railways. The fact they reached the semifinals last season is a clear indication for the hosts to not take the visitors lightly.
Tamil Nadu will be without the services of their ace all-rounder Washington Sundar and they will also miss the services of opener B Sai Sudharsan, who are part of the New Zealand-bound Indian team.
Sources close to the team management hinted that there could be three changes in the playing XI for the Uttarakhand game.
Vimal Khumar will mostly take the place of Sai Sudharsan while S Ajith Ram could come in place of Washington. The return of Gurjapneet Singh would result in Deepesh Devendran or Saravana Kumar making way for the left-arm pacer.
Thus, the new-look Tamil Nadu attack could consist of two medium pacers in Saravana or Deepesh and Gurjapneet Singh. A fast-bowling all-rounder in Sonu Yadav and two specialist spinners in R Sai Kishore and Ajith. If need be, Nidhish Rajagopal and Pradosh Ranjan Paul can chip in a few overs.
"Deepesh had a very good debut (against Rajasthan), showing why he is the X-factor because in one spell, he got three wickets. So, that really got us back into the game. Saravana Kumar was fantastic. Sonu Yadav, again, giving us crucial breakthroughs. And it's just a matter of time before everything comes together, Sai Kishore and possibly Ajith, if he gets a game this time. So, that's a successful combo," said Yo Mahesh, chief coach of Tamil Nadu.
Ajith Ram, who is most likely to pair with Sai Kishore, insisted that he will give his best shot if he gets a chance.
"If I get an opportunity, I will give my best. After missing out last season due to injury, I am eagerly waiting for an opportunity to play for Tamil Nadu again. I have been working on my game in the TNCA league and also at the camp. I am sure, as I said earlier, I will definitely be able to compliment Sai Kishore as we did in the past,'' Ajith told The New Indian Express.
Yo Mahesh insisted that for Tamil Nadu, a home game is always special and hoped that it will motivate the boys to do well.
"Absolutely. Very, very excited to play at home. More than that, when you talk about a home match, playing at Chepauk makes it even more exciting. I think the last time we played Karnataka here was three or four years ago. That was a very close game, too. So, in that sense, we're feeling positive. The whole team is upbeat and excited because we had a training camp here and are familiar with the conditions," said Yo Mahesh.
The Tamil Nadu batting against Rajasthan in the previous game was similar to that of last season where one or two batters did the scoring while the team failed as a batting unit. Moreover, the settled batter could not convert their starts into big scores. The coach is hopeful that the batters can raise their game.
"It's important for the top four to have at least one batter who bats for a long time. Once they're settled, they need to stay at the crease until the job is done. Whether we're trying to take the lead or score 400, a batter who gets settled must aim to score a really big total. That's been our message, and we've made it absolutely clear to the top four. I'm confident they'll do that in the upcoming games," said Yo Mahesh.
Kunal Chandela, captain of Uttarakhand, is aware that Tamil Nadu will be a tough proposition, especially at home. However, he's hopeful that the team can keep up their momentum.
"The plan is simple, I think it's just a game. We think it's a good wicket to bat on. We've seen from the previous Duleep Trophy game played at Chennai, it's a good batting wicket. But the main challenge is the weather. It's a little hotter here, so it's difficult for us to adjust. However, it's a red-soil pitch, and we're all familiar with those conditions because we played our previous game in Mumbai. So, overall, it's good," said Chandela.
The monsoon has set in a bit early so weather could play a part. It will be interesting to see what the teams choose to do when they win the toss.
''That's (bat or bowl first) a decision for the team management. I can't tell you at the moment whether we'll choose to field or bat. But I think it's a good wicket to bat on. Later, the pitch will start turning, so let's hope for the best," said Chandela.
Devendra Bora got a fifer against Railways in the previous game. Chandela hopes he can maintain his rhythm.
"Bora is in excellent form. He's been doing really well for the past three years. The way he's bowling, I think he's one of the team's main bowlers, and he could play a crucial role in this match against Tamil nadu."
Uttarakhand team has made good progress in the last few years and has been playing with confidence against all sides.
They are no longer pushovers and now can be counted among the bigger teams in the championship.
"Yes, absolutely. We're a big team now. We played in the semifinals (last year), and in red-ball cricket, we've qualified four times in the last seven years. We're also doing well in white-ball cricket. The players coming through the ranks are performing well. Our Lakshya Raichandani has become the captain of the Indian U-19 team (white ball), which gives our squad a boost.
"It shows that the selectors are recognising our players. It's great to see the team doing well, especially over the last two years. The team management has given us tremendous support. Our secretary (Kiran), Mahim Verma has also made a major contribution to building this team. He's backed the players wholeheartedly. It's very difficult to keep backing a group of players when competition is intense. But we've given this unit a long period of time together, and now we're beginning to see the results," said Chandella.
