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Guwahati: Central Zone got a shot in the arm with Praveen Kumar flying in to join the side on the eve of their Deodhar Trophy semi-final against fancied North Zone on Monday.
The pacer arrived here Sunday evening after missing the Vijay Hazare Trophy due to a ban on disciplinary grounds.
With both teams well balanced, a keen contest is on the cards. It will, however, be a problem of plenty for both the teams.
“We are yet to give a thought to the final XI but it will be a seven-batsman side given the conditions here,” said Central coach Trevor Gonsalves.
“Besides, the bowlers also chip in with useful knocks these days and in that perspective, we can have a line-up of batsmen up to the ninth man in,” he added.
North, too, have a similar problem. “It will be a problem of plenty for us…. Everyone is an accomplished player and it becomes very difficult under such circumstances,” said team manager Rajesh Bawa in the absence of skipper Gautam Gambhir, who arrived late in the evening to join the side.
North have Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, Unmukt Chand, Rishi Dhawan, and Paras Dogra to make up the batting line-up. Parvinder Awana, Manpreet Goni, Amit Mishra and Parvez Rasool will be the ones to look out for in bowling.
After a match winning century for Delhi in the Vijay Hazare Trophy final against Assam, it will be another opportunity for teenager Unmukt Chand to prove his mettle in front of the national selectors.
For Rasool too, expectations will be high after his superb showing against Australia in the warm-up match in Chennai.
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