Irani Cup: Rajasthan look to break ROI dominance

As all eyes are peeled on the World T20 in Sri Lanka where Team India is attempting to repeat its 2007 feat,  in the quite ambience of Chinnaswamy Stadium here, a few players will be fighting their own battles to wear the blue jersey.

Even as the domestic season opens with the Irani Cup match between Rajasthan and Rest of India, the likes of Ajinkya Rahane, Murali Vijay, Wriddhiman Saha, Abhimanyu Mithun and Yusuf Pathan will be keen to prove their worth.

For Rajasthan the challenge will be to fill the void left by their star batsman Aakash Chopra -- who now prefers to wield the willow for Himachal Pradesh -- and yet come up trumps.

However, Rajasthan skipper Kanitkar said it would open avenues for another youngster. “We will definitely miss him (Chopra),” said Kanitkar. “He was an important part of the team right from seeing off the new ball to making big runs. But his absence gives an opportunity to an youngster. Ankit is the man for the job. He has done well so far. I hope he continues that way and will be the find of the season.”

All-rounder Ashok Menaria and seamer Rituraj Singh will also be missing from the team as they are in the India A side touring New Zealand currently. Kanitkar said the bowling line-up was far from attenuated as Deepak Chahar is back in the squad. “Rituraj came in when Deepak missed a lot of action last season owing to jaundice. Rituraj had grabbed that opportunity,” Kanitkar said. “When Rituraj is not there, Deepak has come back. Deepak did well a couple of seasons ago. This match is a big stage and I hope Deepak will make use of it.”

In the last 12 years, only Railways have managed to beat Rest of India team, and Rajasthan will be eager to turn the fortunes. “A couple of seasons ago, Rajasthan had never won the Ranji for 76  years. So this record is not that imposing, it is just 10 years old. Hopefully, we will be able to win it this time.

Rest of India, winners the last six times and captained by Cheteshwar Pujara, has a strong batting and bowling line-up. In fact it will be a problem of plenty for Pujara, who said the team would comprise three fast bowlers. “There will be help for the fast bowlers in the first couple of days as we saw in the Test match and it might turn later on,” said Pujara.

ROI’s left-arm spinner Harmeet Singh, hero of under-19 World Cup, will be keenly watched if he is part of the playing 11.