Ranji Trophy 2024-25: Hyderabad hopes to put behind poor start as it takes on Puducherry at home

It should be hurting the home team more that Puducherry has at least managed one draw besides the solitary loss in the two games it played.

Hyderabad coach Vineet Saxena having a word with left-arm spinner Tanay Thyagarajan in the presence of captain G. Rahul Singh (second from left) and opener Abhirath Reddy. | Photo Credit: V V SUBRAHMANYAM/ The Hindu

Hyderabad, which had a dismal start to its campaign this season with two consecutive losses against Gujarat and Uttarakhand, should hope to make amends when it takes on Puducherry in the third round of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group B match at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium here from Saturday.

What clearly hurt Rahul Singh-led Hyderabad was the inconsistency in all departments of the game. 

Interestingly, Hyderabad lost both the matches it played so far while chasing difficult, if not impossible targets, on the final day. 

It should be hurting the home team more that Puducherry has at least managed one draw besides the solitary loss in the two games it played.

For a team which recorded thumping wins inside three days in all the games it played in the Plate Group to emerge champion in the last season and come back into the Elite Group now, Hyderabad has paid dearly for the batters’ poor stroke selection. It badly needed big scores from the likes of captain Rahul Singh, Tanmay Agarwal, Rohit Rayudu, Abhirath Reddy and Hima Teja (who made his Ranji debut this season) who never really got going.

In bowling, left-arm pacer Chama Milind was an exception, bowling his heart out while his new ball partners were found wanting. Even in spin, though left-arm spinners Tanay Thyagarajan and Aniketh Reddy were bowling in tandem and getting the breakthroughs, they needed to finish off the lower-order in a hurry if Hyderabad were to force any result.

The 6’9” pacer Saranu Nishanth who made his Ranji debut against Gujarat in this season opener is replaced by Ajay Dev Goud for tomorrow’s game.

On the other hand, Puducherry, which comprises most ‘imported’ players and depends on the experience of the likes of captain Arun Karthik, Ankit Sharma, Aman Khan, Fabid Ahmed, Gaurav Yadav, Mohit Kale to mar Hyderabad hopes of picking first points on the table.

“We need to win crunch moments”

Hyderabad head coach Vineet Saxena, desperate to find the winning touch for his team after two consecutive losses, said that they were not playing bad cricket and had opportunities to really dominate the game.

“So, probably we missed out on those crunch moments. That’s why we had to toil a bit to win the game. Unfortunately, we were not on the winning side. But it’s just winning those crunch moments, I feel,” Vineet said on the eve of the match.

“The communication is very clear to the batters. Whoever gets set, needs to get it big. So, at the moment, that’s not happening,” he said.

“Even the set batters, they are getting 30s, 40s, 50s. So, invariably, that’s not helping them also and not the team cause also. That is one thing. And, suddenly, we are losing wickets in clusters. So, that talk is already on and what we need to do. Probably this game, we have certain plans regarding that,” Vineet explained

“I think, see, for me it is not thinking about that ultimate six points. I think it’s better we focus on the process and get our processes right, which would lead us to those six points. Talk is just about that, and we look to do that,” Vineet concluded.