CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu captain Sai Kishore is confident of a good show by his team in the Ranji Trophy and is looking to begin the season on a winning note against Gujarat in their first game on Friday. His confidence stems from the fact that the team has the right mixture of experience and youth in its ranks. Sai Kishore also believes that since the role of the players have been sorted out in the predatory camp, he expects the team to perform to potential.
“We are confident of a good show this season. Our preparations have been good and we had a practice match at Baroda. We sorted out the players’ roles ahead for the season. We are in good spirits and have jelled as a unit, and I am confident we will do well,” said Sai Kishore.
Sai Kishore has led Tamil Nadu in the past, but this is the first time that he has been named as the captain for a full season. “Yes, it feels good to lead Tamil Nadu. But having said that, I feel normal, like how I was just as a player. We have a very good team that has the right mixture of experience and youth in its ranks. So I feel this will make my job all the more easier. There is no extra pressure of being the captain. I believe a captain is as good as his team. So we all want to go out and enjoy the outing,” said the left-arm spinner.
Both B Sai Sudharsan, who made his India debut against South Africa, and Pradosh Ranjan Paul have been in good form at South Africa. Their form and contribution will be crucial for the Tamil Nadu top order to put runs on the board. ‘’Yes, both Sai Sudharsan and Pradosh are in good form. Both are available at the moment, so it augurs well for the side. When two youngsters in the team are in good form, it gives the team many options,” said Sai Kishore.
Tamil Nadu’s attack has been rejuvenated by the return of T Natarajan and it also has youngster Ajith Ram who showed a lot of promise last season. “It is great to have Natarajan back. He is an experienced player and a left-arm seamer. He has been hitting the deck well and is in good shape. No fitness issues at the moment. It augurs well for us. Ajith Ram is a very talented bowler, he did well last season and I am sure he will do well this time too,” said Sai Kishore.
Tamil Nadu will be playing red-ball cricket after playing white-ball tournaments. Many players take time to adapt and adjust to different formats, however, the captain is not worried about it. “We have experienced batters in our team. All are professional players so they know how to adapt. Our approach will be to take one match at a time and then carry forward the momentum. I expect a good show from our team,” he signed off.
