IT REQUIRES supreme confidence and a lot of guts to tinker with the winning combination. Leave apart one or two faces, Vidarbha, who won both their Ranji Trophy games with consummate ease, effected as many as four changes in the playing eleven in their third game. And to top it all — three of those players were making their First-Class debuts!

While the debutants had mixed success, Vidarbha did a satisfactory job on opening day of their match against Jammu and Kashmir at VCA Civil Lines ground on Tuesday.

Blame it on some sloppy fielding including some dropped catches, J&K made 191 all out in their first innings. Vidarbha responded making 58-2 in 21.1 overs at stumps. One of the debutants — opener Aman Mokhade (18; 59b, 3x4) was out on first ball of the last over of the day while Atharva Taide (24*; 37b, 5x4) was the not out batsman.

J&K skipper Shubham Khajuria called it right at the toss and decided to take strike. Right-arm pacer tall Nachiket Bhute (14-3-42-3) made a dream debut castling Khajuria on his and match’s very first ball.

The other opener Suryansh Raina (30; 54b, 6x4) and Henan Nazir (17; 46b, 3x4) took their time to take the score to 43. Within seven runs, Aditya Sarvate removed both of them to reduce the side to 50-3. Bhute struck again to remove Vivrant Sharma caught at the wicket by Akshay Wadkar. Visitors went to lunch uncomfortable at 86-4 in 38 overs.

Post lunch, Musaif Ajaz (41; 95b, 7x4, 1x6) played an attacking knock even as Yash Thakur (14-3-40-4) and Bhute took five quick wickets. J&K were looking down the barrel at 150-9. Some poor cricket by Vidarbha allowed the last wicket pair of Auqib Nabi (26; 45b, 1x4, 1x6) and Umar Nazir Mir (21*; 21b, 3x3, 1x6) add crucial 41 runs.

The third debutant, talented left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey, could not pick a wicket on his debut innings. He might love to make his bat make some noise.

Vidarbha made watchful start as skipper Faiz Fazal (12; 31b, 2x4) and Mokhade looked in no hurry. The latter scored his first FC runs by a flicked four. Faiz also hit a couple of fine shots but against the run of play was adjudged caught behind to his utter dismay.

Vidarbha have a lot of batting to come with in-form Ganesh Satish and Wadkar as next batsmen. The fourth change in the squad Mohit Kale, who has played for the senior side in the past and has a century to his credit, has replaced Apoorv Wankhade. He would also like to score big to make his selection count.