Kerala coach Venkataramana participating gamers in a fielding drill on the eve of the Ranji Trophy cricket match towards Uttar Pradesh on the SD College floor, Alappuzha, on Thursday, January 4, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Suresh Alleppey
After the excessive of the 2018-19 season, throughout which it entered the semifinals of the Ranji Trophy for the primary time ever, Kerala hasn’t certified for the knock-out stage of the premier cricket event.
During the identical interval, Kerala earned the status as a harmful aspect, able to upsetting prime groups, in T20 and restricted overs cricket. It entered the knock-out rounds constantly in each the Syed Mushtaq Ali and Vijay Hazare competitions.
A brand new Ranji season beckons and below new coach M. Venkatramana, Kerala will look to replicate its current success in white ball cricket into the longer format.
The former India spinner is assured that Kerala can buck the development if the crew shows the required consistency and self perception through the course of the event.
However, Kerala faces a formidable foe in former champion Uttar Pradesh within the opening match of the marketing campaign on the SD College floor, which is internet hosting a Ranji Trophy match for the primary time, on Friday.
It is ironic that Uttar Pradesh too is striving to realise its full potential in crimson ball cricket after an underwhelming efficiency in the Ranji Trophy within the final couple of seasons.
Rinku SIngh batting within the nets forward of the Kerala-Uttar Pradesh Ranji Trophy cricket match on the SD College floor, Alappuzha, on Thursday, January 4, 2024.
| Photo Credit:
Suresh Alleppey
Uttar Pradesh with Indian stars Rinku Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, the most recent IPL sensation Sameer Rizvi together with seasoned cricketers Ankit Rajpoot and Saurabh Kumar will be a tricky opponent for the host.
Kerala coach Venkataramana refused to be intimidated by UP’s star forged and stated his crew has sufficient firepower and means to take on the may of its rival. “If I look at the strength and ability of my team, I do believe we have the potential and the skills to do well,” he stated.
“In Sanju Samson, Sachin Baby and Rohan Prem now we have skilled batters. Our bowlers are good, and the main target will be on profitable the periods. If we can do this constantly, we will beat anybody. It is necessary for us to start the marketing campaign on a optimistic notice,’‘ he said.
The UP camp is aware of Kerala’s functionality and expects a tricky combat from the host. “Kerala is an efficient aspect, and we count on them to come at us laborious. But we’re well-prepared to cope with any state of affairs,“ stated UP captain Aryan Juyal.
The groups: Kerala: Sanju Vishwanadh Samson (captain), Rohan S. Kunnummal, Krishna Prasad, Anand Krishnan, Rohan Prem, Sachin Baby, Vishnu Vinod, Akshay Chandran, Shreyas Gopal, Jalaj Saxena, Vaishak Chandran, Basil Thampi, Vishweshwar A. Suresh, M.D. Nidheesh, N.P. Basil and Vishnu Raj.
Uttar Pradesh: Aryan Juyal (captain), Madhav Kaushik, Samarth Singh, Karan Sharma, Prince Yadav, Rinku Singh, Sameer Rizvi, Dhruv Jurel, Akshdeep Nath, Priyam Garg, Yash Dayal, Kuldeep Yadav, Ankit Rajpoot, Kartik Tyagi and Saurabh Kumar.
