If recent performances are taken into account, the momentum should be with Bengal going into their Ranji Trophy quarter-final clash against Andhra in Kalyani, beginning on Friday.
Bengal have received a boost in the sharpness of their bowling attack, which has played a leading role in the team going past the group stage of the competition after back-to-back unsuccessful seasons. Precisely, Mohammed Shami’s presence in most of their games so far has certainly made a difference, bolstering Bengal’s bowling group.
The pitch at the Bengal Cricket Academy ground in Kalyani has a bit of grass, promising good carry and bounce. Bengal had initially thought of continuing with an extra spinner in their XI, like in their last group-phase clash against Haryana, where only Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar were the specialist quicks. In that case, Shami would have come in place
of Mukesh.
But after a close look at the surface on Thursday, the team management believes that including three specialist quicks with seamer all-rounder Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal and Shahbaz Ahmed taking care of the spin department could be the right way to go. Obviously, before the toss Bengal may re-alter their combination against an unpredictable Andhra side. But at present, it appears both Shami and Mukesh will feature in the XI alongside all-rounder Suraj, which means spinners Rahul Prasad and Vikas Singh go out.
All said and done, Bengal must ensure their batters don’t falter in critical situations. This Andhra side, which comprises India international Nitish Kumar Reddy and has former New Zealand head coach Gary Stead formulating strategies, won’t be too easy a nut to crack.
