Earlier this year, when the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 schedule was announced in June, not many would have expected the Elite Group C match-up between Haryana and Kerala in November to be a top-of-the-table clash.
As it turned out, the fifth-round encounter, beginning on Wednesday at the Chaudhary Bansi Lal Cricket Stadium in Lahli, will see group leader Haryana take on second-placed Kerala.
Both teams come into the game with an abundance of confidence, acquired from home wins in the fourth round, claimed through differing means.
For Haryana, the win against Punjab was of the come-from-behind kind. Despite conceding the first-innings lead after being bowled out for just 114 in the opening foray, Haryana rallied through its bowlers. A much-improved second-innings batting performance set the stage for a thrilling final-day win for the home team.
Kerala’s win against Uttar Pradesh was more or less straightforward. Its deep batting lineup delivered the goods, while its bowlers refused the UP batters any leeway as Kerala wrapped up an innings win, despite losing half of the third day to rain.
Haryana’s success this season, particularly at home, has been built on its well-rounded spin attack fronted by experienced off-spinner Jayant Yadav and up-and-coming Nishant Sandhu.
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The duo has accounted for 37 wickets this season, which is 57 per cent of Haryana’s total haul. Sandhu was at his potent best against Punjab, with the left-arm spinner scalping 11 wickets across both innings.
However, Haryana will continue to be without leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, who has yet to recover from the injury which forced him to sit out against Punjab.
A spin-centric approach though could be a potential double-edged sword against Kerala, which possesses the skillset of right-arm tweaker Jalaj Saxena, whose 11-wicket haul strangled UP in the previous round.
On the batting front, both teams will have a lot to ponder. For Haryana, middle-order batter Himanshu Rana is the only player to tally more than 300 runs this season. The team has leaned heavily on lower-order runs to salvage games.
This has been the case for Kerala too. With newly acquired professionals Baba Aparajith and Aditya Sarwate yet to hit their stride, the team has banked on its batting steel down the order this season.
Against a bowling attack high on confidence, Kerala’s batters will have their task cut out, as Haryana guns for a third consecutive home win, which could all but seal its knockout qualification.
