RANJI TROPHY | A dominant Vidarbha welcomes TN for a spot within the semifinals

Yash Rathod is Vidarbha’s main run-getter this season within the Ranji Trophy. x
| Picture Credit score: File picture: B. JOTHI RAMALINGAM

A rampaging Vidarbha will look to proceed its regal march within the Ranji Trophy when it takes on Tamil Nadu within the quarterfinals, which begins right here on the VCA floor on Saturday.

Vidarbha, final yr’s runner-up, dominated the group levels and completed on prime of Group B with 40 factors — the best within the Elite group — posting six outright wins. In three of these victories, it did so after conceding the first-innings lead, together with within the final outing towards Hyderabad.

For the two-time champion, Yash Rathod (603 runs) and skipper Akshay Wadkar (556) have led the batting charts, whereas Karun Nair (440) has scored two very important centuries.

Akshay Wadkar has led Vidharbha fantastically together with his bat on this version of the Ranji Trophy.
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File picture: EMMANUAL YOGINI

Left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey has been a key architect of the workforce’s success, taking 55 wickets — the best within the competitors this season — and in addition chipped in with the bat, placing three half-centuries (308).

In the meantime, Tamil Nadu comes into the competition following its first outright loss this season to Jharkhand within the closing league fixture. Whereas the bowling has been disciplined regardless of accidents to frontline pacers, the workforce’s batting has been inconsistent to this point, and the workforce would look to handle it. The arrival of top-order bat B. Sai Sudharsan — who may slot at quantity three — and pacer R. Sonu Yadav ought to bolster the aspect.

Harsh Dubey with 55 wickets has been a key architect in Vidarbha’s run to this point within the Ranji Trophy.
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File picture: EMMANUAL YOGINI

“We’re assured. If we play to our potential, we can provide any workforce a run for his or her cash. Our problem is extra about dealing with our insecurities and negativities than the opponents,” mentioned TN captain R. Sai Kishore.

The red-soil pitch had a beneficiant grass masking, and the seamers may have a task to play, particularly within the morning periods. Vidarbha is more likely to draft in pacer Nachiket Bhute for a spinner, whereas TN has to make a name on methods to draft in an additional pacer with out compromising its batting depth or the spin assault.