Sport - Cricket

Saurashtra conscious of the Tendulkar factor

— Photo: K. Pichumani

CYNOSURE OF ALL EYES: With Sachin Tendulkar back in the Ranji side after a long time, Mumbai will be a lot more confident.

Chennai: Cheteshwar Pujara was quick with his response. “But this time they have Sachin Tendulkar,” he said.

The prolific batsman had been queried about the game in the Ranji Trophy Super League earlier this season when Mumbai barely managed a draw against Saurashtra at Rajkot.

Pujara was not so sure whether Saurashtra would carry the mental edge from the match to the Ranji Trophy semifinal beginning on Sunday at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium.

The young man was conscious of the Tendulkar factor.

Tendulkar has a symbiotic relationship with Chepauk and the Chennai crowd. The ground bears his immortal footprints. Memories old and new blend in a heady cocktail.

He was, predictably, the cynosure during the pre-match practice session on Saturday.

The return of the stars to domestic cricket — one positive from the cancellation of the tour of Pakistan — notwithstanding, credit is due to the younger bunch for making this year’s edition an engrossing one.

Pujara apart, his teammate, left-arm spinning all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, has made an impression. For Mumbai, top-order batsman Ajinkya Rahane and pace bowler Dhaval Kulkarni have impressed.

Jadeja has 729 at 72.90 and 39 wickets (18.61) from eight matches. Rahane has notched up 976 runs at 75.07 from an equal number of matches.

Kulkarni has fired out 34 batsmen at 17.61 in seven games. The talented Rohit Sharma has shown flashes of brilliance. Will the sight of Tendulkar lift Sharma into constructing a big hundred?

The seniors have been pulling their weight as well. Mumbai skipper and opening batsman Wasim Jaffer has 873 runs at 72.75.

Amol Muzumdar is on the threshold of erasing Amarjeet Kaypee’s mark as the highest run-getter in Ranji Trophy. The surface for the last four duel sports patches of grass; there should be a measure of assistance for the pacemen — movement and bounce — in the first session. The pitch should gradually assist spin.

Mumbai’s pace attack of Zaheer Khan, Ajit Agarkar and Kulkarni is a potent one. Pujara’s technique and temperament could be searched by the trio.

Off-spinner Ramesh Powar — he has bowled well at Chepauk — and leg-spinner Sairaj Bahutule are likely to operate in tandem. Bahutule and pace-bowling all-rounder Abhishek Nayar could be fighting for a slot.

The teams (from): Mumbai: W. Jaffer (captain), V. Samant, A. Rahane, S. Tendulkar, A. Mujumdar, R. Sharma, S. Bahutule, A. Agarkar, R. Powar, Z. Khan, D. Kulkarni, A. Nayar, S. Kukreja, U. Malvi, A. Chavan.

Saurashtra: J. Shah (captain), B. Chauhan, C. Pathak, C. Pujara, S. Kotak, R. Jadeja, S. Jogyani, B. Jadeja, K. Makwana, S. Jobanputra, R. Dhruv, J. Odedera, A. Vasudeva, S. Jackson, V. Joshi.

Umpires: Amish Saheba & Sanjay Hazare. Third umpire: Rajiv Risodkar; Match Referee: B. Raghunath.

Play begins at 9.30 a.m. on first three days. On the fourth and final day, play commences at 9.15 a.m.

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