Ranji Trophy: Karnataka up against in-form Tamil Nadu

Chennai: Given that it has been little over a week since Mayank Agarwal was hospitalised, the Karnataka skipper may have wanted to take it easy. He did get the clearance to play his side’s sixth-round Ranji Trophy match from Friday, but it was quite a traumatic episode so why push it?

Well, this deep into the tournament, the stakes are too high for Mayank to not turn up. Plus, Karnataka are facing Tamil Nadu so he isn’t going to miss out on a chance to add his name to the legacy of this rivalry.

That said, this contest could well dictate what the future holds for either side so they will want to be on the right side of the result, and thereby on the right side of history.

Going by what has been so far, though, Sai Kishore’s Tamil Nadu look distinctly more balanced and at ease with the format than Karnataka have looked this season.

That would explain why they have managed to win three on the trot for the first time since 2015. While that might not seem a feat worthy of mentioning, given that Tamil Nadu have found themselves in an unending transition, these are signs of something more promising. Given the personnel they have in place, it could well be the case.

On the other end of the spectrum, Karnataka, who have endured far brighter prospects and success for a decade and beyond, are now faced with this transition, and they’re holding on for dear life.

They have been inconsistent in five games they have played thus far and yet managed to end up with 21 points and second on the table behind Tamil Nadu who have superior NRR.

While a part of that success, including three wins, has to do with their pacers and occasionally their top-order batters, a lot has had to do with opponents not being as good as they would be expected to be.

In fact, the only time they were tested by a strong unit was against Gujarat, and that happened to be the only game they lost.

Tamil Nadu too have suffered only one loss this season, and that too came against Gujarat. But when they have come up against weaker opponents, they have flexed aplenty.

Also, when you have skipper Sai Kishore pick up 27 wickets from five games, and N Jagadeesan scoring runs for fun, you end up with a product which looks damn-near ready for the knockouts and beyond.

Karnataka haven't looked their dominant selves. But then again, stranger things have happened in Ranji Trophy so a side which looks off-kilter now could well turn into something akin to a challenger.

Agarwal will hope for that, at least then he might feel like he came back for good reason.