The batter added that he has been focusing on the “volume of red-ball practice” considering the tough challenges ahead.
| Photo Credit: M. Periasamy

B. Indrajith is going through a purple patch right now. He is the second-highest run-scorer in this edition of the Buchi Babu tournament with 303 runs from three outings.

The 30-year-old opened up about how “he is happy with his batting right now” and why he wants to leave no stone unturned in taking his game to the next level, especially with the Duleep Trophy coming up where he will ply his trade for India-C.

“I know the Duleep Trophy is very important, but at the same time, I don’t want to put pressure on myself. I will give myself the best chance to perform there in terms of preparation… God willing, if everything goes well, obviously there are other things looking ahead. Hopefully that happens,” TNCA XI’s Indrajith said after the first day’s play against Mumbai here on Tuesday.

The batter added that he has been focusing on the “volume of red-ball practice” considering the tough challenges ahead. “I’m very conscious about how the conditions are going to be. There will be good bowlers in the Duleep Trophy as almost all the senior players will be there. So, I have to be equipped enough to face them.

“This was in my mind when I prepared before coming here. I practised a lot with the red ball in Chennai because after the Tamil Nadu Premier League you need to give yourself more time in terms of volume. If I used to play for one hour (usually), I played for two or three hours before coming here.”

Jaymeet’s unbeaten knock steadied the ship after Gujarat lost four wickets early.
| Photo Credit: E. Lakshmi Narayanan

An unbeaten century (125 batting, 214b, 11×4, 2×6) from left-hander Jaymeet Patel, who came in at No. 6, helped Gujarat recover from 55 for four to end day one on 321 for seven in the Group-B match versus TNCA President’s XI in the third round of the Buchi Babu Memorial All India invitational cricket tournament at the Salem Cricket Foundation (SCF) ground here on Tuesday.

Jaymeet hit a straight six off leg-spinner Jhathavedh Subramanyan and charged at left-arm spinner Vignesh for a six to long on. He cut and then edged Vignesh for back-to-back fours behind square. He also hit four fours off pacer Mohammed – two glorious cover drives on the front and back foot, two flicks to square leg and midwicket.

TNCA skipper and left-arm spinner M. Siddharth picked up four wickets before lunch. With the ball turning in the first session itself, Siddharth’s pace and the nervousness caused by the close-in fielders proved too much for his victims.

Jaymeet and Kshitij Patel (62, 106b, 7×4), then, bailed out Gujarat with a 73-run fifth-wicket partnership.

Kshitij hit all his boundaries on the backfoot. But he was eventually trapped plumb in front on his backfoot – beaten by pace, he was late on his block to Vignesh.

Thereafter, Jaymeet and Urvil Patel (33) strung together a 70-run sixth-wicket stand, which was broken when the latter was run out at the non-striker’s end after being sent back. Vimal Khumar’s sharp throw from short midwicket helped bowler Siddharth break the stumps.

After the new ball was taken, Siddharth had Dhrushant Soni (44), leg before wicket, in the 85th over to complete his five-wicket haul (five for 74).

Jaymeet and Dhrushant added 101 runs for the seventh-wicket union.

The scores (round three, day one): Group-B: Gujarat 321/7 in 90 overs (Kshitij Patel 62, Jaymeet Patel 125 batting, Dhrushant Soni 44, M. Siddharth 5/74) vs. Gujarat; Toss: Gujarat.