DEFENDING Ranji Trophy champions Vidarbha will aim to extend their supremacy in domestic cricket when they take on Rest of India in the season opener Irani Cup match at Vidarbha Cricket Association’s Jamtha Stadium from Wednesday. The Akshay Wadkar-led side, which won their third Ranji title in March at the same venue defeating Kerala on the basis of first innings lead, will be eager to start on a positive note ahead of the new domestic season. The Rest of India will be led by experienced and seasoned leader Madhya Pradesh’s Rajat Patidar. Patidar is on a roll while leading sides.

 

He has helped Royal Challengers Bengaluru lift their maiden IPL title and then escorted Central Zone clinch the Duleep Trophy a few weeks ago. But facing Vidarbha will be all-together different challenge for Patidar as Vidarbha cricketers are high on confidence and have enough matches under their belts after the Ranji title victory. As many as seven cricketers were part of the title winning Central Zone team while the remaining had a good outing in the Thimmappiah Memorial Trophy in Bengaluru a few days ago. To top it all, last Ranji season’s highest wicket-taker spinner Harsh Dubey (with 69 scalps) and Yash Thakur have gained a lot of experience while representing India A against Australia A.

 

 

 

Vidarbha have match winning batters in Vice-Captain Yash Rathod and Danish Malewar who both showed their batting prowess in Duleep Trophy. Professional Dhruv Shorey, with 4885 First-Class runs under his belt will man the top order along with Atharva Taide (1825) while captain Wadkar (3905) will be an important cog in the middle order. The bowling department will be spearheaded by pacer Aditya Thakare who has 112 wickets in his bag followed by Dubey with 111 First-Class scalps till date. Rest of India, too, have some of the top cricketers with Patidar leading from the front. The batter starred for Central Zone slamming two centuries and as many fifties in five innings. His deputy Ruturaj Gaikwad, though skipped the nets session on Tuesday but will be fit to take the field on the morrow and would look to impressing the selectors for the red-ball season ahead. Ishan Kishan, seamers Khaleel Ahmed and Akash Deep, spinners Tanush Kotian, Saransh Jain are some others in what looks like a strong squad on paper. All in all Vidarbha hold the edge here at Jamtha Stadium as they have won Irani Cup twice, first in 2017-18 season and then defended the title next year (2018-19).