Ranji Trophy: Hyderabad and Chhattisgarh target outright win at Gymkhana – Group B Elite

Fortunes turn quickly in cricket’s longest format. A week is a long time, and in the Ranji Trophy, four days is all it takes.

Hyderabad, after two back-to-back wins, settled for a stalemate at home against Punjab. Meanwhile, after a draw and a crushing defeat to start its season, Chhattisgarh snatched victory against Andhra, despite rain claiming an entire day.

The two will go into the final fixture of the first phase, starting Monday at the Gymkhana, with eyes on maximum points. There is confidence that the pitch — the same strip used here against Tripura — will produce a result, unlike Hyderabad’s clash with Punjab, which left the bowlers frustrated.

Chhattisgarh head coach Amay Khurasiya was bullish, saying, “This won’t be (a dead rubber), and I think my dendrites are working well!”

Bavanaka Sandeep, Hyderabad’s assistant coach, is unfazed by the momentum Chhattisgarh may carry into this fixture.

“It is a big tournament in two phases. Some teams may peak early, some late. I don’t see them as a threat. If we play at least 70-80% to our ability, we should get through this game,” he said.

Hyderabad’s frontline spinners Tanay Thyagarajann and Aniketh Reddy took 30 wickets for 347 runs in wins over Tripura and Andhra but conceded 354 runs for just five wickets against Punjab. They will be up against an experienced Chhattisgarh attack led by tweakers Dharmendrasinh Jadeja and Ajay Mandal, who will thrive should the pitch take turn as expected.

For Chhattisgarh, Ayush Pandey and Amandeep Khare have led the batting so far, while Anuj Tiwari found his touch last week to help see off Andhra. Three Hyderabad batters fell short of tons in the last game and will want to make amends.

Both teams will hope for a final flourish before the red ball is set aside and the white-ball lights come on.