Battle of equals as J&K faces Kerala in Ranji today

Rajesh Dhar
JAMMU, Nov 27: It will be the battle of equals as formidable Jammu and Kashmir will take on strong bunch of Kerala in the Ranji Trophy Group-C 4-day match on what is expected to be a true cricketing strip at GGM Science College Hostel Ground, here from tomorrow.
J&K, on the one hand, have two outright victories against Goa and Andhra and a crushing defeat against Himachal Pradesh in the three matches played so far this season, while Kerala, on the other hand, have two wins by virtue of first innings lead against Assam and Andhra and one outright victory against Tripura.
The wicket, as has been seen, is a true cricketing surface as it had witnessed 5-wicket hauls both by spinners as also by medium fast bowlers and centuries by the batsmen. One who gives his best will get purchase from the wicket in all the departments of the game.
Not too many changes are expected from the two teams in this match. For J&K, Hardeep Singh may replace Mohsin Iqbal in the Playing XI from the team that played against Andhra, while Kerala may field the same team that thrashed Tripura on the other day.
While, in the batting department, J&K, will heavily rely on skipper Parvez Rasool, Adil Reshi, Majid Dar, youngster Bandeep Singh and Hardeep Singh, besides batting mainstay Ian Dev Singh, who is struggling for form, Kerala, on the other hand, will depend on double centurion of the current season and promising youngster Sanju Samson, dependable opener V Jagadeesh and R Prem, besides the other inform batsmen.
In the bowling department, Kerala have the talented medium fast bowler Sandeep Warrier alongwith spinner CP Shahid who has already scalped 7 wickets in an innings against Tripura, supported by Vinoop SM, Sreejith KR and Parmeshwaran in their ranks, while, Jammu and Kashmir, on the other hand, have the trio of medium fast bowlers in talented Ramdayal Punia, Mohd Muddasir, who had a decent outing against Andhara and Samiullah Beigh in their kitty, besides quality right-arm off-spinner in Parvez Rasool to be supported by left-arm spinner Waseem Raza.
For that mater, a tough battle is on cards in the four days contest. The team which holds its nerves better in the crunch situations will be the winner. However, what would favour Jammu and Kashmir, apart from the conditions and spectators support is that they have good number of all-rounders in their ranks in Rasool, Punia, Beigh and Raza, not to talk of Reshi and Owais.
Meanwhile, the players like Sanju Samson, Parvez Rasool, V Jagadesh and Sandeep Warrier who are knocking at the doors of International cricket will be the star attractions.

Follow our WhatsApp channel