Buoyant India Red eye final spot in Kanpur
It’s going to be a different ball game altogether for India Red and India Blue in the second league match of the Duleep Trophy, beginning Wednesday at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur.
After winning their first game against India Green in fascinating manner here, the Dinesh Karthik-led India Red would be looking for yet another win to make it to the final. India Blue however would be aiming for their first win.
India Red are set to miss many of their stars, including double centurion in the opening match Priyank Panchal, if they make it to the September 25-29 final as they all have been named in the India A squad for the series against New Zealand A.
“Winning is the sole purpose of our side. Right now, we aren’t thinking about the final match and our focus is on just winning the tie,” Karthik told HT on the eve of the four-day game. “Certainly, we would be missing many of our key players, if we make it to the final, but for that we will decided new strategy with new faces,” he added.
He however confirmed that the side would continue to miss the services of regular skipper Abhinav Munkund, who hasn’t recovered from dengue. Off-spinner C Gowtham too is injured. “We have alternatives to fill the spots, but a decision on them would be taken before the start of the match tomorrow,” said Karthik, who rated Green Park’s pitch better than that at the Ekana International Cricket Stadium here.
India Blue skipper and local boy Suresh Raina, while accepting that there was little time for the side to practice together, claimed that pressure of making it to the final would be on the rivals as his side was going to play their first match.
“We have the knowledge of the pitch here and it’s an advantage for us. Seemer Ankit Rajput is a local boy and that’s a big plus for the side,” said Raina, adding how Sachin Tendulkar has been helping him. “Yes, I had gone to Mumbai and practised before Sachin Tendulkar. I was there to take his blessings and I am happy that God of cricket blessed me.”
Unlike Lucknow, flood lights could be a problem as one area of the ground still has a problem of adequate lighting.