No pressure, says Shukla

Calcutta: Bengal will try to bank on the absence of Ajit Agarkar when they face Mumbai in the semi-final of the National One-dayers at the Andhra Cricket Association Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Monday.

Agarkar, who is learnt to have injured his ankle during practice on Sunday, has been ruled out of the match.

“They are a good side… But the absence of Agarkar will surely work to our advantage,” Bengal coach Bharat Arun said on Sunday evening. “He was in good form and was bowling really well this season…,’ he added.

According to Bharat, Bengal are well prepared and will fight till the last ball. “It’s like any other match for us but we are still not taking things lightly… They are still capable of a good show… We are very much prepared… I promise we will never give up easily and fight till the end,” he said.

Captain Laxmi Ratan Shukla rubbished any talk of pressure and predicted a good game. “Both the teams are well balanced and I can foresee a good game,” Shukla said.

Asked about his strategy to deal with in–form Mumbai batsmen — openers Sahil Kukreja, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma (who hit an 89-ball century in the quarters against Tamil Nadu) and Amol Mazumdar — Shukla said: “We have to stay focused… We have chalked out our plans for the batsmen and will stick to them.”

With no fitness problems in the side, Bengal will field the same side that beat Delhi in the quarters last Wednesday.

Shukla, who along with his boys had a brief training session on Sunday afternoon at the stadium, was hopeful of a sporting pitch. “We played a Deodhar Trophy match against North Zone here. It’s generally a sporting wicket. Though today it was under cover I had a glimpse at it… It seems like a good wicket,” he said.

In the Deodhar Trophy tie last March East Zone beat North Zone by 56 runs.

India under-19 wicketkeeper Sreevats Goswami and Saurasish Lahiri will continue to open the innings and Bengal will bat first if Shukla calls correctly.

The presence of Manoj Tiwary, Anustup Majumdar, Wriddhiman Saha, Debabrata Das will surely add to the depth of the Bengal batting line-up while Ranadeb Bose, Shib Shankar Paul along with Shukla and pacer Avik Chowdhury will complete the bowling attack. Left-arm orthodox Iresh Saxena will give Sourasish Lahiri company.