ranji trials
Guwahati, Oct. 25: Tamil Nadu professionals Sridharan Sharath and Somasetty Suresh joined the ongoing Ranji trials for the Assam team at NF Railway Stadium here today.
The two cricketers, who represented Assam in the Moin-ud Dowla Gold Cup in Hyderabad last month, had net practice and also underwent fitness drills with the other probables.
According to sources in the Assam Cricket Association (ACA), Sharath is tipped to be the captain of the state squad in the season ahead.
With last year’s skipper J. Arunkumar of Karnataka signing up for Goa, the ACA is banking on experienced Sharath to lead the team not only as a batsman but as a mentor to his teammates.
Having represented his home state for 15 years, Sharath announced his retirement from first class cricket early this year, only to withdraw his decision a few months later.
The ACA will expect Suresh to step into the boots of all-rounder S. Vasantha Saravanan and top order bat Parvez Aziz, both of whom represented Assam for three years before joining the Indian Cricket League recently. Suresh will have to perform as a dependable all-rounder as well as an opener.
Assam had to try six batsmen as openers in the last season and with Aziz out, the list of probables has only Chandan Rawat as a regular opener.
The ACA has forwarded the plea by all-rounder Parag Das to withdraw his retirement from first class cricket, to the BCCI for consideration.
The other outstation probables for the state squad are former Test player Sadagoppan Ramesh and Thalaivan Sargunam. Ramesh is scheduled to land here by tomorrow.
Karnataka left-arm spinner Anand Katti, who represented Assam in the last two years, is registered with the ACA and yet to apply for inter-state transfer. However, his name does not figure in the list.
The team for the Plate Group A match against Gujarat (in Ahmedabad) is likely to be named by next week.
Swimming record
Swimming prodigy of Assam Bhargav Phukan today broke a 10-year-old record at the 53rd National School Games swimming event in Surat.
Phukan today clocked 1:15.97 minutes to claim the gold medal in the under-14 boys 100-metre breaststroke event.
He surpassed the earlier record of Sanjib Chatterjee from West Bengal.
