TNPL 2016, Ruby Kanchi Warriors vs TUTI Patriots, Preview and Predictions: Must-win situation for teams

A crucial clash between Ruby Kanchi Warriors and TUTI Patriots as they will be desperate for a win in order to move up in the TNPL Points Table. Both the teams have won two of their five games and currently placed at sixth and seventh spots in the TNPL standings. They will be playing at NPR College Ground, Dindigul in the 24th match of TNPL inaugural tournament. A win in next two game will guarantee them a place in the playoffs of TNPL 2016. TUTI Patriots have been quite unlucky in the tournament as they lost one by eight runs and other in a close supeover affair which came right down to the wire.

Lakshmipathy Balaji will be the X-factor in today’s game as his spell could turn the game in TUTI Patritots’ favour. His five-wicket haul against VB Thiruvallur Veerans would have been a big boost ahead of crucial games to be played in the tournament. The veteran medium-fast bowler will be leading the bowling department for the side. It is upon his captain whether he uses Balaji’s over early on in the innings or in the death overs. His performance will also pave the way for left-arm spinners Ganesh Moorthi and Aushik Srinivas. He will be backed up by Aswin Crist and Akash Sumra. Washington Sundar will be showing faith on his pace variations which have worked out pretty well so far.

With Dinesh Karthik leaving TUTI Patriots to play in Duleep Trophy Final for India Blue against India Red at Greater Noida, TUTI Patriots batting has taken a hit and unable to post big totals or to chase them. However, Karthik was phenomenal in the game he played scoring unbeaten half-century helping his team to start their TNPL campaign with a bang. The one game he won against Veerans after Veeran left was after much difficulty.

Abhinav Mukund will also be a tough competition. Mukund has been famous for his black bat, he will be expected to deliver in a do or die situation.

Baba Indrajith will be leading Ruby Kanchi Warriors in a must-win contest. Warriors have been on the receiving end of heavy losses in the league so far. That is the reason they are lagging behind in the run-rate department. Warriors not only need to win the game but also win it with a big margin in order to strengthen their claim for the play-offs for first ever TNPL.

Warriors have been inconsistent with both bat and ball. Their attacking middle-order consisting of Baba Indrajith and Akkil Srinath who are expected to go all guns blazing in tonight’s affair. Their bowling has been a slight disappointment so far. Nilesh Subramanium and Bharath Shankar too can be lethal as long as they get  a start.

However, the main battle will be between TUTI Patirots’ bowling and Ruby Kanchi Warriors’ batting. If Warriors manage to score big, Patriots will be under pressure. In case Balaji-led Patriots are able to stop Warriors’ batting line-up, they will have a decent chance of winning the match.

Squads:

TUTI Patriots: Umashankar Sushil(wk), Abhinav Mukund (c), Kaushik Gandhi, Lakshmipathy Balaji, Washington Sundar, SP Nathan, Subramanian Anand, Akash Sumra, Aswin Crist, M Ganesh Moorthi, Aushik Srinivas, V Lakshman, Maaruthi Raghav, G Nicul Anand, R Sathyanarayan, R Vishaal, Siddarth Ahuja, V Athisayaraj Davidson

Ruby Kanchi Warriors: Bharath Shankar, Nilesh Subramanian, Baba Indrajith(c), Shahrukh Khan, Jagatheesan Kousik, Akkil Srinaath, Krishna Varun Kumar(wk), Alagh Prathiban, Murthy Prabhu, Jagannathan Kaushik, Rajamani Jesuraj, Rangaraj Suthesh, Adithya Ganesh, B Aditya, Anthony Mannays, L Ganesh, Ranjan Paul, S Siddharth, Trilok Nag

(Arun Rawal, a reporter with CricketCountry, is a daydreamer, movie buff, and cricket fanatic. He could not play cricket, so did the next best thing, writing for it. He loves to play the flick shot over square leg, and believes Sachin Tendulkar is God. His Twitter handle is @ArunRawal93)