The Assam cricket team for the Moin-ud Dowla Gold Cup, Hyderabad, poses for a photograph at Nehru stadium after the selection on Tuesday. Picture by Eastern Projections

Guwahati, July 29: Skipper Palash Jyoti Das today exhuded confidence on the team’s prospects in the Moin-ud Dowla Gold Cup cricket tournament in Hyderabad from August 3.

Talking to The Telegraph on the sidelines of the nets on the eve of their departure for the first phase of summer exposure tour to Hyderabad, Das, who has been assigned the captaincy for the first time, said he was confident that every player would contribute their best. The squad will leave for Hyderabad tomorrow.

“We will play as a team. Everyone is raring to go and I am confident that all the players will give their best and we will come out with flying colours,” Das said when asked about his new responsibility.

Assam will open their campaign against Himachal Pradesh on August 3 and will then take on Bengal in the second group league match on August 6 and 7.

A talented top order batsman and part-time spinner, Das started his own career as a junior (under-15) India international. He then lost his form in the under-19 stage to spend a couple of years in the wilderness, which included even a year’s suspension, following which he regained his form since last year.

About the team for the first phase of exposure tour, Das felt it was a “balanced side” but admitted that an extra “experienced medium pacer with a flair for batting” would have helped lessen the pressure on the pace tandem of Dhiraj Goswami and Krishna Das.

On his expectations from senior players Nishanta Bordoloi and Arlen Konwar, the skipper said: “We will look forward to them for guidance and play their natural game. There will be no extra pressure on them. We have a lot of youngsters in the team and contribution from everyone will be enough reduce the burden on their shoulders.”

However, according to sources among the selectors, it would be “do or die” for the seniors. “Everybody is going to get ample opportunities before the Ranji trials this time and only the performers, especially the seniors, will be in contention for the state Ranji squad in this season,” one of the selectors said, wishing not to be named.

About the nets and practice matches, Das said it would have been better if the team could play a practice match or two before leaving for Hyderabad.

“It’s unfortunate that we could not play matches this time because of the weather condition. It would have helped the team gel well if we could play a match or two,” he said.