Nagpur, Feb 16
After a gap of one year the much-awaited red-ball cricket 'Ranji Trophy' returns with two-time champion Vidarbha taking on Uttar Pradesh in group 'G' clash to be at the Gurugram Cricket Ground in Sultanpur from Thursday .
In the last five years, Vidarbha dominated Ranji Trophy which is considered as Indian cricket's 'backbone' by winning the coveted trophy two years in succession before failing to qualify for the knockouts in the 2019-20 season.
However, this season there will be no margin for error as the team will play just three matches at the league stage and only the topper will qualify for the knockouts.
Therefore Faiz Fazal-led Vidarbha would like to make a winning start. As he has already said he always believed in making a good start whether bat or bow. The first session will be very important as it will set the tone of the match.
As far as team combination is concerned, Vidarbha will utilise the services of almost all the seniors including R Sanjay, stumper Akshay Wadkar, Ganesh Satish, Atharva Taide, and young Mohit Kale along with skipper himself.
Among the bowlers, Indian pacer Umesh Yadav who has been picked by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the IPL mega auction will lead the pace attack in the company of hero of Vidarbha's maiden Ranji Trophy title Ranjeesh Gurbani. A source has confirmed that Umesh Yadav will be definitely seen in action. Among the spinners, experienced off-spinner Akshay Wakhare who so far has taken 279 wickets in 83 First Class matches is raring to go. He will likely to get support from Aditya Sarwate and Akshay Karnewar.
Vidarbha has not played against Uttar Pradesh much in the red-ball cricket. From the current Vidarbha squad only Faiz Fazal has played against them in 2012-13.
The wicket is likely to help the batsmen as there is hardly any grass on the surface, it is learnt. Therefore whichever side will win the toss, would like to bat first and pile up a good total in the first innings.
Indian left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav is leading the Uttar Pradesh squad . They had also failed to qualify for the knockouts in 2019-20 Ranji season.
The first encounter has lot of significance . Whosoever manages to take the lead by recording outfight victory of taking at least first innings lead will consolidate their position for knockouts.
The squad:
Faiz Fazal (C), Akshay Wadkar (VC & wk), Atharva Taide, Ganesh Satish, Apoorv Wankhede, Siddhesh Wath (wk), R Sanjay, Mohit Kale, Yash Rathod, Akshay Wakhare, Aditya Sarvate, Akshay Karnewar, Lalit Yadav, Aditya Thakre, Praful Hinge, Siddhesh Neral, Ganesh Bhosale, Rajneesh Gurbani, Umesh Yadav .
Uttar Pradesh: Kuldeep Yadav (c), Almas Shaukat, Rishabh Bansal, Priyam Garg, Hardeep Singh, Jasmer Dhankhar, Dhruv Jurel, Aryan Juyal, Madhav Kaushik, Parth Mishra, Akshdeep Nath, Ankit Rajpoot, Shanu Saini, Samarth Singh, Sameer Choudhary, Karan Sharma, Shivam Mavi, Shivam Sharma, Rinku Singh, Yash Dayal, and Zeeshan Ansari.