Hubballi (Karnataka), Feb 22 (PTI) Former India pacer R Vinay Kumar said the enviable batting riches in their line-up will give Karnataka a huge upper hand over maiden entrants Jammu and Kashmir in the Ranji Trophy final, starting here on February 24.
The eight-time champions Karnataka boast a strong batting unit that has India stars KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, Mayank Agarwal and Karun Nair, and they have been firing collectively in this season as well.
“Karnataka will be having the upper hand for sure because of the kind of experience that they have in the line-up. Starting from KL to Mayank, then Karun, Devdutt, all Indian Test players who have done extremely well in this format,” Vinay told PTI.
Vinay holds the rare distinction of leading Karnataka to back-to-back Ranji Trophy titles in the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons, and remains the last skipper from the state to lift the coveted domestic silverware aloft.
The former pacer hoped Devdutt, who took over from Agarwal as Karnataka skipper midway through this season, would emulate him.
“He was our captain in the Hubli Tigers (in Karnataka Premier League). I know him very closely. He made his Ranji debut under my captaincy only. He is a very nice guy and a very positive person, though he keeps to himself a bit.
“But whenever it comes to tactics and all, he is really good. He is leading from the front with the bat too. The best example is the way they won that crucial game against Punjab, and he made a hundred while chasing 250 in close to 30 overs. That shows this team has a great calibre,” he added.
But Vinay did not fail to mention the varied Karnataka bowling attack that delivered more often than not this season.
“Of course, we have Prasidh (Krishna), a frontline bowler, Vidwath (Kaverappa), Vysakh (Vijayakumar) and Vidyadhar Patil, who is doing really well. Of course, Shreyas Gopal too who recently bagged his 300th wicket. So, they have a very balanced side.” However, Vinay cautioned Karnataka against complacency against the less storied rivals.
“You can’t take this Jammu and Kashmir team lightly because they have a very good leader in Paras Dogra. He was with me when I played for Pondicherry. He is a very nice person. He has also scored 10,000 runs in first-class cricket.
“He has a bundle of experience. Along with that, (pacer Auqib) Nabi is doing great for them and he has good support from other bowlers. But yeah, Karnataka is a hot favourite to win their 9th Ranji Trophy title,” he added.
The 42-year-old said Karnataka openers — KL Rahul/Agarwal/Devdutt — will have to nullify J&K’s new ball burst, an important part in their run to the final.
“Yeah, batting or bowling, getting that good start is important, that first session is going to set the tone for the game. See, J&K have never been to the Ranji Trophy finals. So, there will be so many things going on in their mind.
“How much ever the coaches tell them to treat this as any other game, it’s not easy to play this game freely. They might take a little bit more time compared to Karnataka players to come into the rhythm. But they are quality players, especially pacers.” Vinay, a domestic stalwart who has 504 first-class wickets, then explained how to tackle J&K pacers.
“If the surface is good seamers, they will have to play close to their body and leave ones on the outside. And if it’s a flatter track, then they need to play through the line without trying to be very dominating. They have that class in them, right?” Blessing for Hubballi ============= Touching on a broader topic, Vinay said hosting a marquee event like Ranji Trophy final in a Moffusil area like Hubballi will inspire budding cricketers in the region. “It’s a huge step, I would say. When we were playing, we only heard about Ranji matches and only once Karnataka played in Davanagere (Vinay’s home town). We only used to hear stories from our seniors. So, now the Ranji Trophy final is happening here. It’s a great platform for the youngsters to go and watch the game.
“Now, there are so many youngsters playing in Karnataka Ranji side like Vidyadhar and Kruthik Krishna. For them, it’s a great opportunity to enjoy this kind of moment, where they can learn many things.” Taking a ride back to past ================= Vinay then looked back at the halcyon days of 2013-14 and 2014-15.
“What a great two years. We fought and won against Mumbai, Punjab, all strong sides with a young team. Personally, I remember bowling against Punjab with a shoulder niggle and Punjab were 234 for three then.
“I couldn’t watch the match from outside. So, I just told myself, let me go in and do the captaincy and bowling.
“So, I felt like, okay, let me bowl with a short run-up. Somehow, we need to break this partnership. Then, I went on to bowl 5-6 overs and got 5 wickets. And from there, everything changed.” Karnataka completed the Ranji double in 2015 at the Wankhede Stadium, beating Tamil Nadu.
Vinay has not forgotten that moment. Karun made 328 and Rahul produced 186, while Vinay himself chipped in with 105 as Karnataka amassed 762 runs in their only innings.
They won the match by an innings and 217 runs for the eighth title.
“There are lots of memories. For example, the way we beat Tamil Nadu in the final. Karun and KL had that big partnership, after losing three wickets early.
“Those two guys are still playing in the Ranji Trophy and again they are playing in the finals. Hope they do it once more,” Vinay signed off. PTI UNG PDS PDS
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