Hyderabad pins its hopes on spinner Thyagarajan

After conceding a mammoth 529 for 4 and toiling within the area for 151 overs within the first innings in opposition to Delhi in its Ranji Trophy Group-D opener at residence, Hyderabad shall be buoyed by the return of prolific left-arm spinner Tanay Thyagarajan from harm because it locks horns with Pondicherry on the CAP Siechem Ground right here from Saturday.

Thyagarajan can even relish the spin-friendly circumstances that noticed the tweakers decide up all of the 24 wickets that fell throughout the residence workforce’s final match right here in opposition to Himachal Pradesh. The 29-year-old and fellow left-arm spinner G. Anikethreddy have been Hyderabad’s high wicket-takers within the Ranji Trophy final season, with 35 and 29 scalps, respectively, and the duo could possibly be a menace for Pondicherry’s wobbly batting line-up. The persistently overcast and gloomy circumstances can even preserve Hyderabad’s left-arm seamer Chama Milind and the tall 6’9’’ pacer Saranu Nishanth .

Tanmay Agarwal, final season’s third-highest run-scorer (934 runs), cracked a ton in opposition to Delhi, and Hyderabad will pin its hopes on the left-hander’s scorching kind. Tanmay’s opening companion and fellow left-hander, Rahul Singh, will lead the facet within the absence of Tilak Varma, who has flown to Australia for India responsibility.

For the host, Sagar Udeshi’s function as captain, coach and mentor shall be essential. Despite donning a number of hats this season, the 39-year-old spinner hasn’t been saddled by added duty: he picked up a 10-wicket match-haul in opposition to Himachal, although his workforce conceded the first-innings lead.

For firm, Udeshi can have India Test cricketer Jayant Yadav, who joined Pondicherry as a visitor participant after serving Haryana for over a decade. However, the duo’s expertise will face a stern check in opposition to Hyderabad, which thrashed Pondicherry by an innings and 50 runs final yr.

The visiting facet will eye the same early-season lift-off after ceding the result in Delhi in a high-scoring marketing campaign opener.