Vimal Khumar made his maiden Ranji Trophy century.
| Photo Credit: K. MURALI KUMAR
Tamil Nadu opener R. Vimal Khumar made an excellent return to First Class cricket, at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Grounds here. After having last appeared for the State in the Ranji Trophy in February 2024, the left-hander notched up his maiden century against Nagaland on the opening day of the match.
In an exclusive chat with The Hindu, the 22-year-old Vimal reflected on his knock and the monumental 307-run partnership with Pradosh Ranjan Paul — a stand that not only defined the day but also helped his side rebuild confidence after a crushing first-round defeat to Jharkhand.
“Firstly, I’m very happy coming back into the team after a year. Being able to do well for the side feels really good,” Vimal said. “The wicket was very good to bat on — quite flat. My mindset was simple: this is my comeback game after a year, so I wanted to stay focused and make the most of the opportunity.”
Reflecting on TN’s opening-round loss, he added, “As a team, we had discussions about how to move forward after that defeat. The break helped us reset, spend time with our families, and come back with a fresh mindset.”
On the mammoth partnership with Pradosh, Vimal added, “Once Pradosh and I got our eye in, it was about maintaining momentum. We just wanted to keep going and bat as long as possible. We’ve played a lot together over the past few years, so we understand each other’s game well and share a really good rapport.”
Published – October 25, 2025 11:57 pm IST
