CHENNAI: Skipper R Sai Kishore's 6 for 34 (including a hat-trick, match haul of 10 for 74) and Ajith Ram's 4 for 33 came in handy for Tamil Nadu to beat Uttarakhand by an innings and 66 runs on the third day of their second round of the Elite Group D Ranji Trophy match played at the MA Chidambaram Stadium here on Tuesday.
Tamil Nadu got seven points (6+1 bonus) and now have eight points from two games.
Sai Kishore used his height and the surface to his advantage and picked wicket after wicket with effortless ease. Ajith Ram, who made a comeback after injury, complemented him well, scalping wickets from the other end.
Under overcast conditions and a mountain to climb, the Uttarakhand batters did not have the patience and courage to put up a fight and caved into pressure. "Very good win. Very commanding victory and very happy to be bowling along with Ajith Ram again. He is coming back from a long injury. Both of us were very happy to be playing with each other again. I think when we are not there for each other only, we understand each other's value," said an elated Sai Kishore after the win.
Sai Kishore hat-trick victims were Lakshaya (bowled), Saurav (caught by B Indrajith) and Aditya (Caught by N Jagadeesan). "I didn't bowl to get the hat-trick or sorts. Just doing my job. I think when I am very honest to myself and working hard, I think God is giving me all these things. I already got a hat-trick in the T20. Very happy to have one in First-Class cricket as well. I think my coach Ram Kumar, he had a hat-trick for Tamil Nadu. So he always tells me that you still don't have a hat-trick. Now I think we are even," said Sai Kishore in a joyful mode.
Sai Kishore agreed that Pradosh Ranjan Paul's century and the century stand that he had with Indrajith were the turning points of the match. "Definitely Pradosh's century was the turning point in the game. Whatever said and done, batting was the hardest thing. It required a lot of skill and Pradosh showed it definitely. Match winning century," complimented Sai Kishore.
On a track helpful for spin, the Tamil Nadu lower order did not click. Was that a point of worry? "I think we have to show better. But in terms of how we are batting, we are playing well. If runs are not coming. I think we will not win. So we need to click as a unit," he insisted.
Sai Kishore said that he enjoyed his County stint and does not mind starting afresh. "I think I am someone who is very grateful for what I have in my life. When I first played for Tamil Nadu, I never thought I would even play. I did not know if I could play a season. Because coming from a non-cricketing background, I felt cricket is not the go-to thing. God has been very kind. Being able to play for Tamil Nadu for so long. Indian cricket is filled with talent. Sometimes, to be fair, last year, to my own benchmark, it wasn't my best season. I still had 3.5 wickets per game. But still, for my own standards, it wasn't my best season. So just take it in my stride and focus on my performance. I want to keep performing. That's my only focus," explained Sai Kishore.
Tamil Nadu will face tougher teams in the coming rounds in the league phase and the captain said the youngsters will only improve with every match. "I think we have no other choice. I think a lot of youngsters have joined the team. The more they play, they will get better. In terms of result-wise, it is a perfect game. But in terms of how we play, there are a few things that need to be improved. It will be good if we focus on that," insisted Sai Kishore.
