Momentum with Karnataka: Arun

Karnataka batting coach J Arun Kumar feels that the hosts will have momentum on their side when they face Haryana in their Group ‘A’ Ranji Trophy encounter here from Thursday.

“Though we haven’t produced a win yet we have been playing good cricket and the momentum is definitely on our side. If you look at our match against Vidarbha, we were able to take 10 wickets in an innings on a flat track and that’s a great positive,” Arun Kumar said.

Speaking on the team combination ahead of the tie, Arun said the injured left-hand batsman Shishir Bhavane is unlikely to get the nod. “Shishir is not 100 percent fit and with R Samarth scoring two centuries, it is tough get Shishir in the scheme of things. With so many players doing well, it is a good problem to have for coaches and we are enjoying the challenge,” he said.

Arun added that Karnataka will continue to go with alternate ways of handling their wicketkeepers. “One innings we will have Robin (Uthappa) donning the wicketkeeping gloves while in the second innings CM (Gautam) will be doing it. Both the players are aiming to make their way to the Indian side. Despite changing roles in wicketkeeping, they will be considered for selection in the national team on the basis of their batting performances. Both have proved to be good behind wickets and now it is time for them to score more runs,” he said.

Knowing that a strong challenge is expected from the dangerous Virender Sehwag, Arun Kumar said that his boys would look to stick to basics and not get bogged down by the experienced batsman’s reputation. “We have faced him (Sehwag) in the past when we played against Delhi. On his day he can tear apart any bowling attack. If he gets runs then we are in trouble. But with due respect to Sehwag, it is just about one good ball to get a batsman out. So our bowlers will look to hit on the right areas and create pressure.”