Karnataka face tricky Chhattisgarh

In a group where there are just two former Ranji Trophy champions, you would expect Karnataka (Rajasthan being the other team to win the title) to be head and shoulders above the rest. But the reality is they are placed third below Kerala and Chhattisgarh in points table.

The good thing, though, is that all three are tied on 13 points after three matches each with only a better winning percentage separating Karnataka from the top two.

Both Kerala and Chhattisgarh have two wins each while Karnataka, who have a superior run-quotient, have just one win over Puducherry, the bottom-placed team in Group C. Their draws have come against Goa and Services who complete the rear three. In this context, it becomes essential for Karnataka to lift their game a notch in order to convert advantageous positions into victories.

Karnataka's test begins with their fourth match against the second-placed Chhattisgarh here at the M Chinnaswamy on Tuesday. According to the original schedule this was an away game for Karnataka but with Raipur set to host India's ODI against New Zealand later this month, the Chhattisgarh State Cricket Sangh expressed its inability to have the match at the same ground. Thus the match was moved to Bengaluru and Karnataka won't be complaining.

They would be hoping the ground staff would roll out a pitch that suits their strength which is their pace attack. While it might have lost a bit of edge and experience with the loss of an injured Ronit More, who has since been replaced by M Venkatesh in the squad, it still has enough verve and variety to take 20 wickets.

Vidwath Kaverappa, notwithstanding his below-par show against Goa, has been the most impressive of the lot while Vyshak V has been improving with each outing. It remains to be seen who between Venkatesh and Koushik V replaces More in the XI.

A much better show is expected from K Gowtham, who has bowled a whopping 100 overs for just seven wickets in three matches, and Karnataka will hope the senior off-spinner comes to the party sooner than later. Left-arm spinning all-rounder Shubhang Hegde had replaced leg-spin all-rounder Shreyas Gopal, who had a stiff neck, against Goa and did reasonably well. It will be interesting to see who gets into the final XI.

Opener R Samarth's stability at the top of the tree that has yielded 404 runs, including three centuries in as many matches, Manish Pandey's return to his run-scoring ways that often help set the match, skipper Mayank Agarwal's consistency and promising performances by season debutants, Vishal Onat and Nikin Jose, make for a solid batting. Agarwal, though, would be hoping to convert good starts into hundreds.

Chhattisgarh's campaign has largely been fuelled by their highest run-getter Harpreet Singh, who has gathered 282 runs at an average of 56.40, and all-rounder Ajay Mandal, the left-arm spin all-rounder. Mandal has taken a staggering 24 wickets in three matches and scored 114 runs to play a key role in Chhattisgarh's ascendance so far. While keeping these two will be crucial, it would be safe to say that Chhattisgarh have more up their sleeves.