Ranji Trophy 2023-24: Andhra faces Madhya Pradesh in quarterfinals, eyes redemption for last season’s loss

When the two teams met in a quarterfinal clash at the Holkar Stadium last year, Madhya Pradesh had the last laugh.

FILE PHOTO: Andhra captain and wicketkeeper-batter Ricky Bhui. | Photo Credit: B Madhu

Ricky Bhui had a chat with his teammates, shortly after the fixtures for the Ranji Trophy quarterfinals were announced. With his team squaring off against Madhya Pradesh, it was important for the Andhra captain to motivate the players.

After all, when the two teams met in a quarterfinal clash at the Holkar Stadium last year, Madhya Pradesh had the last laugh. Hence, this time around, Bhui advised his team to ‘overcome the mental barrier and not think about what happened earlier’.

It will be over to the Andhra players to follow the skipper’s advice when the action begins on Friday.

It has been quite an incredible season for the team, with captain Bhui leading from the front, amassing 861 runs at an average of 86.1. Despite being in a tough group, Andhra managed to qualify for the knockouts, riding on Bhui’s heroics and some vital knocks by the seasoned Hanuma Vihari, who amassed 453 runs.

In its last league game against Kerala, Andhra lost debutant opener Revanth Reddy early before Maheep Kumar and Ashwin Hebbar stepped in. On what appears to be a rather flat surface, it will be an opportunity for Andhra’s top-order to make it count.

READ | Vihari on return to Indian team: If I win Ranji Trophy with Andhra and score enough runs, opportunities will come

However, it won’t be an easy task. Madhya Pradesh, the champion of the 2021-22 season, enjoys the home advantage. All eyes will be on Venkatesh Iyer, who bolstered the middle-order and scored 510 runs in the group stage.

It will also be crucial for the home team to get off to a good start, with openers Yash Dubey and Himanshu Mantri making significant contributions.

On the bowling front, left-arm spinner Kumar Kartikeya has been most effective for MP, claiming 34 wickets, and it will be interesting to see how he handles the pressure of the knockouts. With the seasoned pacers Avesh Khan and Kulwant Khejroliya in its ranks, Madhya Pradesh is certainly a force to reckon with.