It’s an advantage for Tamil Nadu as it prepares for the next two group games after taking the lead over Delhi in a pulse-pounding chase.
Tamil Nadu played its first game at the ACA stadium where the pitch was pretty flat after some initial help to the pacemen.
But then, Tamil Nadu will play its next two games at the Nehru Stadium where the pitch is spinner friendly while Delhi will feature at the ACA Stadium for the remainder of the league phase.
Nehru Stadium has a multi-purpose ground and apparently, the groundsmen here have not had much time to prepare the pitches.
In the Ranji game here, played concurrently with the Tamil Nadu-Delhi match, Chhattisgarh defeated Jharkhand, an upset of sorts, by eight wickets.
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And the highest total in that duel was Chhattisgarh’s 174. The match was over in three days.
Tamil Nadu needs to score outright wins from here on. Teams with outright wins can leapfrog over sides with the first-innings lead.
Tamil Nadu has the batting to play on turning tracks with B. Indrajith the most accomplished player of spin in the team.
However, Tamil Nadu will have to get the balance of its attack right,
With both R. Ashwin and Washington Sundar facing fitness issues and unavailable for the matches, Tamil Nadu is without a specialist off-spinner.
Under-19 all-rounder Manav Parekh, who sends down off-spin, has been drafted in, but it remains to be seen if he makes the eleven.
Baba Aparajith is bowling his off-spinners capably, with flight, dip and turn and Tamil Nadu is certain to use him.
It is also likely that left-arm spinner M. Siddharth will replace paceman P. Saravanakumar and skipper Vijay Shankar will double up as the third medium pacer.
Both R. Sai Kishore and Siddharth bowl left-arm spin but are very different bowlers. Sai relies on the bounce while Siddharth gets the sphere to skid off the pitch. And Siddharth has a good arm ball.
On a turner, Tamil Nadu’s close-in catching has to be sharp. And the batters will have to use their feet.
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