Karnataka will face a second straight tricky test as it welcomes Kerala for the Ranji Trophy Elite Group-C match which gets underway from Friday at the Alur Grounds.
Kerala is coming off a thumping eight-wicket win over Punjab despite conceding the first-innings lead, and it will also be bolstered by the presence of Sanju Samson, fresh after his scintillating 111 in the Hyderabad T20I versus Bangladesh.
In fact, five monsoons ago in Alur, Samson smashed a 129-ball unbeaten 212 in a Vijay Hazare Trophy encounter against Goa. If the 29-year-old can marry those golden memories from the past with his present form, Karnataka will be in for a leather hunt.
The eight-time champion is coming off a middling effort against Madhya Pradesh in Indore. Though the sides split points equally because of rain and a dodgy outfield, the top-order — but for Nikin Jose who scored a plucky 99 — did not impress.
Bowlers V. Koushik and V. Vyshak toiled long and hard but did not find adequate support, with Prasidh Krishna sitting out after bowling just eight overs. Now, with Prasidh in the Indian squad as a travelling reserve and Vidwath Kaverappa out with a shin injury, there is space to fill. There may be a toss up between seam-bowling all-rounder Vidyadhar Patil and rookie left-armer Abhilash Shetty.
Karnataka also needs its spinners Shreyas Gopal and Hardik Raj to be tighter and incisive. Kerala, in contrast, has the Jalaj Saxena-Aditya Sarwate duo that accounted for 16 of the 20 wickets against Punjab. But their effectiveness in the cool environs of the Garden City will depend on the pitch.
However, for any contest to materialise, the weather has to behave. After dire threats of incessant rain, Wednesday in and around Bengaluru was largely free of precipitation. The game will be served well if it holds good for four more days.
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