TNCA President’s XI will take on Hyderabad in the summit clash of the Buchi Babu tournament at the CSK High-Performance Centre starting Saturday.
For the hosts, the preparatory tournament has been productive, giving both regulars and a few contenders a chance to get into rhythm before the Ranji Trophy starts next month.
Skipper Pradosh Ranjan Paul has led from the front for the home team, scoring 331 runs from four games. The left-hander, who was part of the India-A set-up two years ago, has had a lean run over the last two seasons and needs a big one this year.
Pradosh has scored a half-century in each of the four games he has played, but hasn’t converted any into a century, and will look to address it in the final.
Batters C. Andre Siddarth, B. Indrajith, and R. Vimal Khumar have also done well, with each one scoring at least one century.
On the bowling front, left-arm spinner P. Vidyuth has shown promise, scalping 23 wickets, including a seven-for in the semifinals against Jammu & Kashmir that helped his side take the first-innings lead.
Hyderabad, the reigning champion, meanwhile, has demonstrated remarkable resilience in its ability to come out on top in close encounters.
Varun Goud has been the standout performer, leading the run charts in the tournament with 371 runs, including a century and a crucial 91 in the semifinals.
The likes of P. Nitish Reddy, skipper Rahul Singh, and Hima Teja have also made crucial contributions, while spinners Rohit Rayudu and Aniketh Reddy lead the wickets charts.
The final promises to be a good battle between two evenly matched sides, with TN holding a slight edge, having convincingly beaten all its opponents so far.
Published – September 05, 2025 08:21 pm IST
