Umar hopes to prove a point against Vidarbha

With a point to prove after being ‘rested’ for J&K’s Ranji Trophy opener, Umar Nazir found an unlikely mentor in BCCI president Mithun Manhas.

During breaks in the game against Madhya Pradesh, Manhas watched the tall pacer bowl in the nets, even placing a stump behind him to check his landing and guard against overstepping. Manhas’ long association with J&K brought out the cricketer in him as he stepped in to help Umar fine-tune his run-up.

Umar, who returned a match haul of five for 157 in the Irani Cup earlier this month, is set to return against Vidarbha later this week, with Auqib Nabi joining the India-A squad for the tour of New Zealand.

J&K will need the 32-year-old to step up after struggling to make inroads at crucial moments against MP. The batting, too, failed to show the resolve needed as the defending champion escaped with a draw.

Captain Paras Dogra acknowledged that the team had fallen short in both departments. With Yudhvir Singh unfit, J&K’s options have been limited, while Nasir Lone bowled just 16 overs against MP.

The bigger concern remains the batting. J&K has struggled to build partnerships, leaving the middle-order with too much to do. Dogra believes the openers must lead the recovery and provide a platform for the rest.

“Our batters have not been up to the mark and have failed to build partnerships. The bowlers have been performing fairly well, both in the Irani Cup and in the Ranji opener,” he told The Hindu. “We hope Umar will be fresh and ready for the next game.”

For Umar, the Vidarbha fixture offers a chance to turn disappointment into opportunity. He will be keen to exploit the conditions and add bite to an attack that lacked consistency against MP.