FRESH from his stint with senior India team, pacerYash Takur will bolster Vidarbha pace bowling attack when the former champions take on title holders Jammu and Kashmir in their second match of the Elite Group ‘A’Ranji Trophy match at Srinagar from Sunday. Thakur,who has been named in the Indian team for the fourth andfifthOne-DayInternationals against NewZealand whichwill be played atMountMaunganui, will be the bowler for hosts to tackle with on apacer friendly pitch. Both the teams havehad contrasting starts to their campaign thisseason.WhileVidarbha recorded an outright win over Pondicherry at home,Jammu and Kashmir were saved by bad weather to ekeoutadrawagainst Madhya Pradesh who took the first innings lead at Srinagar. This will be Vidarbha’s only away game beforethe red-ball break as they will play their next two remainingmatches against Goa(Oct26) and Madhya Pradesh (Nov 2) atVCA’sJamtha Stadium. Theirsecondgameagainst J&K will be an important one and Vidarbhawillaimatanotheroutright victory.

 

With conditions likely to be seam friendly in Srinagar,Vidarbhamight gowith four seamers and only one spinner.Coach Usman Ghani and captainAkshay Wadkarwillhave to pick from Thakur,Nachiket Bhute,DarshanNalkande,Praful Hinge and Rajneesh Gurbani. Harsh Dubey and Parth Rekhade both took six wickets eachinVidarbha’sopeneragainst Pondicherrybut the former might find aplace in the playing XI going by the experience he brings into the side. In batting, Vidarbha will have to do without last game’s centurionYash RathodwhojoinedIndia‘A’team which will be touring New Zealand in afew days’time. Rathod had slammed 134 runs towarmup forNewZealand tour and, along with captainWadkar, who himself hit aDaddy Hundred (198), added 245 runs to bail outVidarbha from aprecarious 54-5. Rathod’s place might go toYashKadamwhohas been included in the squad. He can be used as the fifth bowler for the team as well.

 

The opening slot will puzzle Vidarbha think-tank as they are yet to find aperfect partner for Aman Mokhade. As for J&K, their bowling will depend on seamer Auqib Nabi who will be assisted by medium pacer Rohit Sharma who took fivewicketsin theirlastgameand spinnerSunil Kumarwhosnared four.TheParasDogra-ledsidewill needtheirtop order Qamran Iqbal, Shubham Khajuriaand Vanshraj Sharma to scoresome runs after abelow-par performance against Madhya Pradesh. Butthat would not be an easy ask against astrong Vidarbha pacebattery.Thakurwouldbring all his India experience while Bhute,Hinge will aim for awicket-takingperformance to attract national selectors’attention.