Cricket

Tamil Nadu, buoyed by its impressive start to the Ranji Trophy campaign, will face Chhattisgarh in a crucial third-round match (Elite Group D) at the Sri Ramakrishna College Ground on Saturday.After crushing Saurashtra by an innings in the season opener, TN came within two wickets of another innings victory against Delhi. Only fading light and some questionable time-wasting tactics by the Delhi lower-order prevented N. Jagadeesan's men from securing seven points.The southern side has established Coimbatore as its fortress, winning its last four encounters at this venue by an innings. It will aim to extend this successful run against Chhattisgarh.However, the home team will face some forced changes due to the departure of Washington Sundar (India), B. Sai Sudharsan, and B. Indrajith (both India-A) for national duties. The management must find an opening partner for skipper Jagadeesan, while all-rounder Vijay Shankar and M. Boopathi Vaishna Kumar could slot into the middle-order.With the pitch expected to favor spinners, TN may consider resting one of its pacers and playing an extra tweaker. "We are extremely proud of the brand of cricket we played. Even in the last match, we bowled nearly 190 overs over two days and maintaining the same energy was a task, but everyone did it," said Jagadeesan.Chhattisgarh, on the other hand, will be eager to earn some points after managing just two so far. The Amandeep Khare-led side has the depth in its lineup to challenge the hosts. Most of the batters have runs under their belt, and the outfit boasts a decent spin attack led by Ajay Mandal.In the previous game against Saurashtra, Khare slammed a brilliant double-century while Sanjeet Desai scored a ton. However, the in-form TN bowlers in their backyard will pose a sterner test, and how the visitor's batters tackle them could determine the course of the contest.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has denied the Cricket Association of Bengal's (CAB) request to reschedule two home domestic matches due to the impending Cyclone Dana. The CAB had sought to postpone the Ranji Trophy and U-23 Col CK Naidu Trophy matches against Kerala and Railways, respectively, scheduled for this week in Kolkata and Kalyani.The Bengal senior team was set to host Kerala at the Jadavpur University Campus' second Ground in Kolkata for the third round of the Ranji Trophy, commencing on Saturday. The CAB had hoped for a longer gap between matches this season, but the BCCI declined their request. After the Bengal-Kerala encounter, both teams will have a week's break before their next fixtures.The Bengal Under-23 team was scheduled to host Railways Under-23 from October 27 to 30 at the Bengal Cricket Academy Ground in Kalyani. However, the recent Bengal vs Bihar Ranji Trophy match at the same venue was washed out due to heavy rain, raising concerns about the upcoming match. The Under-23 team will have a week-long break before their next match against Vidarbha in Nagpur from November 8 to 11.Meanwhile, the Bengal senior team will be without key players Abhimanyu Easwaran, Abhishek Porel, and Mukesh Kumar for the next two Ranji Trophy rounds. The trio has been selected for India A's shadow tour of Australia.The BCCI's decision to reject the CAB's request has left the association disappointed. However, the matches will proceed as scheduled, with the Bengal teams hoping to overcome the challenges posed by the weather and the absence of their star players.

Harshit Rana Released from Test Set-up, to Join Delhi for Ranji TrophyIndia seamer Harshit Rana has been released from the Test squad and will return to his domestic team, Delhi, for their upcoming Ranji Trophy fixture against Assam. The decision was made at the request of the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA), which is without the services of Navdeep Saini, who has been named in the India A squad for the tour of Australia.Rana, 22, has been serving as a traveling reserve for the Indian Test team during their recent series against New Zealand. While he did not feature in any of the matches, his time with the national side has provided him with valuable experience. He will now get some much-needed game time under his belt as Delhi looks to improve their position in the Ranji Trophy standings.Rana's release from the Test set-up is part of a larger trend of players being released to their domestic teams for competitive match practice. Nitish Kumar Reddy, another traveling reserve, has already been released and has played for Andhra in their last fixture. Mayank Yadav is also expected to be released soon and has been told to prepare for the upcoming T20I series against South Africa.Delhi will be relying heavily on Rana to lead their attack in their crucial home game against Assam. The team has accumulated just four points from their first two games and needs to improve their performance to qualify for the knockout stages. Rana's experience and skill will be vital in helping Delhi achieve their goals.In addition to Rana's return, Delhi has also made other changes to their squad. Opener Dhruv Kaushik has been ruled out for the next 2-3 games due to a hand injury, while Divij Mehra and Money Grewal have been added to the pace department.

Prithvi Shaw's recent struggles have taken a significant turn as he has been dropped from the Mumbai squad for the upcoming Ranji Trophy matches. The decision stems from concerns over his discipline and fitness, which have reportedly upset the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) and its selection committee.Shaw's inconsistent attendance at net sessions, even after early dismissals, has raised eyebrows. His lax attitude towards fitness has also become a concern for the team management. These factors have prompted the selectors to take a tough stance, resulting in Shaw's omission from the squad.The selection committee, led by Sanjay Patil, announced the Mumbai squad without Shaw's name. It is believed that Mumbai captain Ajinkya Rahane played a role in the decision, as he was reportedly against Shaw's selection.In response to the news, Shaw took to Instagram and posted a sarcastic message: "Needed a break thanks." The MCA released a statement confirming the squad selection but did not provide any explanation for Shaw's absence.While Shaw's appearances in net sessions have been sporadic, veteran players like Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, and Shardul Thakur have been working diligently to regain top form. Mumbai will face Tripura in their next Ranji Trophy match on October 26 at the MBB Stadium in Agartala.The Mumbai squad for the match includes:* Ajinkya Rahane (Captain)* Ayush Mhatre* Angkrish Raghuvanshi* Akhil Herwadkar* Shreyas Iyer* Siddhessh Lad* Suryansh Shedge* Hardik Tamore (WK)* Sidhaant Addhatrao (WK)* Shams Mulani* Karsh Kothari* Himanshu Singh* Shardul Thakur* Mohit Avasthi* Mohd. Juned Khan* Royston DiasShaw's omission from the squad serves as a reminder of the importance of discipline and fitness in professional sports. It remains to be seen whether he can address these concerns and regain his place in the team.

Bengaluru's Ranji Trophy squad has been bolstered with the inclusion of K.V. Aneesh and Abhinav Manohar as reinforcements for their upcoming away match against Bihar. The eight-time champion Karnataka team is in dire need of a victory after collecting only two points from its first two matches.Aneesh, 23, made his debut last season and has played four First-Class games, including the Ranji quarterfinal against Vidarbha where he scored 34 and 40 batting at No.3. Manohar, 30, is yet to make his red-ball debut. The hard-hitting batter has played 36 T20s and seven List A matches for Karnataka and has turned out for Gujarat Titans in the IPL. Most recently, he finished with 550 runs at a strike-rate of 194.35 in the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20.Pacer Vidwath Kaverappa is not in the squad as he continues his recovery from the shin injury sustained during the Duleep Trophy.The squad:Mayank Agarwal (Capt.), Nikin Jose, Manish Pandey, R. Smaran, K.V. Aneesh, Abhinav Manohar, Shreyas Gopal, Sujay Sateri, Hardik Raj, V. Vyshak, V. Koushik, Luvnith Sisodia, Mohsin Khan, Vidyadhar Patil, Kishan S. Bedare, Abhilash Shetty.

Karnataka and Kerala were forced to share a point each after their Ranji Trophy Elite Group-C encounter at the Alur Grounds ended in a frustrating draw due to persistent rain. The match was marred by inclement weather, with only two sessions of play possible out of a total of 12.On the opening day, Kerala managed to reach 161 for three in the final session. However, the second day's play was completely washed out, leaving both teams with a solitary point. The result was particularly disappointing for Karnataka, who had also been forced to settle for a draw in their rain-affected opening tie against Madhya Pradesh.Kerala, on the other hand, had secured a comfortable eight-wicket victory over Punjab in their first game, giving them a total of six points. Karnataka, with just one point from two matches, will now travel to Patna to face Bihar from October 26. Kerala, meanwhile, will clash with Bengal in Kolkata.The draw has left both teams in a precarious position in the standings. Karnataka, the eight-time Ranji Trophy champions, will need to secure victories in their remaining matches to stay in contention for a place in the knockout stages. Kerala, too, will need to perform consistently to maintain their position in the top half of the table.The weather conditions have played a significant role in the early stages of the Ranji Trophy, with several matches being affected by rain. The BCCI will be hoping for better weather in the coming weeks to ensure that the tournament can be completed as scheduled.

Sanat Sangwan's defiant 83 and Navdeep Saini's strategic time-wasting tactics helped Delhi escape with a draw in their second-round Ranji Trophy match against Tamil Nadu at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Monday.Delhi, asked to follow on after conceding a 408-run first-innings lead, faced a daunting task of seeing out 85 overs to avoid an innings defeat. The visitors, led by N. Jagadeesan, were determined to force a result, but Delhi's resilience proved too strong.Sangwan played a pivotal role in Delhi's resistance, consuming 231 deliveries and frustrating the Tamil Nadu bowlers. His innings, which included 10 fours and a six, kept the visitors at bay for over six hours.As the shadows lengthened, Delhi's hopes of a draw rested on the shoulders of Saini and Himanshu Chauhan. With two wickets in hand and just two overs remaining, Tamil Nadu sensed an opportunity. However, Saini's clever time-wasting tactics, including a comical display of injury after being hit on the head, allowed Delhi to survive the final onslaught.Tamil Nadu's bowlers, led by Washington Sundar and S. Ajith Ram, had earlier put in a dominant performance, restricting Delhi to 266 in their first innings. Gurjapneet Singh and Sonu Yadav also chipped in with two wickets each.In their second innings, Delhi lost early wickets but Sangwan's marathon knock steadied the ship. Himmat Singh (36) and Jonty Sidhu (23) provided valuable support, but it was Saini's unbeaten 15 that ultimately sealed the draw.Tamil Nadu, despite their first-innings advantage, were left to rue their missed opportunities. Their decision to bat for a mammoth total in the first innings may have backfired, as it gave Delhi ample time to recover in the second innings.

Prithvi Shaw, the enigmatic opening batter for Mumbai, has been dropped from the squad for their upcoming Ranji Trophy Group A match against Tripura. The decision was made after a meeting between the selectors and the coach, who discussed areas where Shaw needs to improve, including his fitness.Shaw has struggled for form this season, scoring just 139 runs in six innings at the top of Mumbai's order. His fitness has also been a concern since he returned from a knee injury earlier this year.The Mumbai selectors have recalled veteran Akhil Herwadkar, who last played for Mumbai in November 2018. Herwadkar will compete with Angkrish Raghuvanshi for the opening slot alongside Ayush Mhatre.Meanwhile, Suryakumar Yadav (personal commitments) and Tanush Kotian (India A duty) will also miss the next game. Left-arm spinner Karsh Kothari has been recalled to the squad after a hiatus.The Mumbai squad for the match against Tripura is as follows:* Ajinkya Rahane (Capt.)* Ayush Mhatre* Angkrish Raghuvanshi* Akhil Herwadkar* Shreyas Iyer* Siddhesh Lad* Suryansh Shedge* Hardik Tamore (wk)* Sidhaant Addhatrao (wk)* Shams Mulani* Karsh Kothari* Himanshu Singh* Shardul Thakur* Mohit Avasthi* Juned Khan* Royston Dias

Mumbai's formidable all-rounder duo, Tanush Kotian and Shams Mulani, have been instrumental in the team's recent Ranji Trophy success. However, their partnership will be temporarily broken as Kotian prepares to join the India A squad for their tour of Australia.Mulani, the senior partner, expressed his admiration for Kotian's batting abilities, stating that he will miss him more as a batter than a bowler. "We have been bowling together and doing well together, but with the replacements we have, I am sure Himanshu (Singh) and I can also deliver in tandem," Mulani said.The Mumbai team recently secured a nine-wicket victory against Maharashtra, a crucial win after a disappointing loss to Baroda. Mulani emphasized the importance of bouncing back from the setback. "We reflected pretty hard on the loss. We went through the video footage extensively. Some people took responsibility for the loss. It feels nice for our side when the seniors club in and the others raise take responsibility. It feels nice with the way we bounced back on the first morning here that set the game up for us," he said.Kotian's departure for Australia presents an opportunity for other players to step up and fill his void. Himanshu Singh is expected to take over Kotian's role as the team's primary all-rounder. Singh has shown promise in the past, and Mulani is confident in his ability to contribute to the team's success.Despite the temporary separation, Mulani remains optimistic about the team's prospects. "All the best to Tanush, it's a huge opportunity to represent India A. I will not miss him that much (with the ball) but definitely will miss him as a batter," he said.