Kolkata: Bengal did not get the start they were looking for as they managed to end up with just one point against Andhra in their Ranji Trophy opener. They will have to raise their game against a strong Uttar Pradesh side when they meet them in an Elite Group ‘B’ match at the Green Park in Kanpur from Friday. Although the hosts’ first game against Kerala also ended in a draw, but UP dominated the proceedings earning three points from that. UP seem to have all their bases covered with both their batters and bowlers coming good in the first match.
Although they will be missing an in-form Rinku Singh and wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel in this match, batters like skipper Aryan Juyal, Priyam Garg and Nitish Rana, who have shifted base to UP this season, are all capable of scoring big. Both Juyal and Garg had hit centuries in the last match too.
In the absence of both Mukesh Kumar and Akash Deep, the Bengal pace attack does not look too menacing in Ishan Porel, Mohammed Kaif and Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal or Subham Chatterjee. UP, on the other hand, have decided to keep a green-top wicket ready for Bengal. They have a formidable pace attack in Ankit Rajpoot, Yash Dayal, Kartik Tyagi and Bhuvneshwar Kumar along with spinner Saurabh Kumar, who has been a consistent domestic and India ‘A’ performer. Rajpoot has already claimed a fifer in the first innings against Kerala.
Skipper Manoj Tiwary stressed on the importance of toss. “The toss will be vital as the bowlers will get an early advantage,” he stated, adding that morning fog might see a delayed start to the game.
The onus will be on Bengal’s new-found opening duo of Sourav Paul and Shreyansh Ghosh to see off the new ball and give the side a solid start. In the last match against Andhra, Bengal failed to capitalise on a good start and were bowled out for 409 after ending Day I at 289 for four. Experienced duo Anushtup Majumder and skipper Tiwary will have to bear the responsibility of building up an innings in the middle with meaningful contribution from the tail.