JOIN USKarnataka look to continue momentum
Mayank Agarwal might have a reason to believe Karnataka have what it takes to win the Ranji Trophy title this season, but how much of that belief is based on logic rather than sentiment remains to be seen.
For, Karnataka - placed second on the Group C table behind Chhattisgarh with one win and a draw - do not look like a side capable of composure under duress.
They do possess remnants of a winning past with the likes of Mayank, Manish Pandey, K Gowtham, Shreyas Gopal and R Samarth, but if the first two games against Services and Puducherry are viewed objectively, it becomes obvious that coach PV Shanshikanth’s side is still in search of a solid identity.
While there is scope for a better version to show up come Tuesday when they run into Goa at the Goa Cricket Association Academy ground here, it remains to be seen if this side can summon the level of pride and hunger needed to garner titles at this level.
A case can be made for their collective acumen, possibly even prowess, when viewing the game against Puducherry through the filter of numbers and figures. But that performance hides more than it reveals.
Since their dream run nearly a decade ago with R Vinay Kumar at the helm, Karnataka have meandered without direction. Though they have continued to house some of the best talents, even turning into a conveyor belt of craftsmanship for the Indian team, their inability to put it all together has resulted in disappointing results in red-ball cricket.
Yes, Ronit More, Vidhwath Kaverappa and Vyshak Vijaykumar made Puducherry’s batters look clueless on an effervescent pitch. Yes, Samarth’s return to form with a couple of centuries in as many games is promising. Yes, season debutants Vishal Onat and Nikon Jose look the part of first-class batters.
However, Agarwal’s tepid form, a low-on-confidence Manish Pandey, captain's lack of confidence in Shreyas Gopal's ability and Gowtham’s inefficiency with the ball are all a concern. Worse yet, Karnataka’s fielders have been amateurish.
The four-day format has a way of showing up weaknesses, and Karnataka have already shown plenty. This could explain why they have done better in limited-overs cricket.
That said, Karnataka do have a championship pedigree, and have shown that they could rouse themselves under the right conditions. Should they internalise their legacy and execute their plans, perhaps Agarwal will be proven right. But before looking as far ahead, they’ll want to guard against complacency against Goa.
While the hosts have done as well as you would expect a side with limited resources to do, they have exceeded expectations in phases and sessions.
Skipper Darshan Misal will hope his side can string together a few such phases to hold off Karnataka, if not go the distance. Coach Mansur Ali Khan, the former Karnataka cricketer, will hope so too.
More poignantly, he will have a front-row seat to what Karnataka cricket is now, and possibly even compare it to what it was when he was the bowling coach of a side that completed the double-treble.