Kerala captain Baby will be playing his 100th First Class game.
| Photo Credit: P.K. Ajith Kumar
The excitement is palpable in the Kerala camp at the VCA Stadium on this humid afternoon. The team manager, Nazir Machan, is in great demand with the multiple television crews that have come from Kerala.
He tells one channel after another how thrilled every player is about Kerala’s first Ranji Trophy final. The team’s captain Sachin Baby also has multiple interviews lined up.
There isn’t such a hullabaloo about the Vidarbha team. That isn’t surprising, either. The Vidarbha cricketers know a thing or two about playing the final, and actually winning it. They lifted the Ranji Trophy back to back in 2017-18 and 2018-19. And last year, they played in the final.
Vidarbha captain Wadkar.
| Photo Credit:
P.K. Ajith Kumar
But, they are not taking Kerala lightly.
“Kerala has an excellent attack and we should not allow them to dominate us,” Vidarbha’s captain Akshay Wadkar said. “Their pacers and spinners are good and we have to play the new ball well.”
He thinks much could depend on the toss on what he believes is a sporting wicket.
“In a five-day match, the first-innings lead may not be that important,” he said.
About playing against Aditya Sarwate, who had represented Vidarbha in last year’s final, Wadkar said with a smile: “We know him well, and there won’t be any trouble against him.”
As for the Kerala captain, Sachin Baby, the final is special for another reason. This is his 100th First Class game.
“It will be a great game,” said Baby. “Vidarbha has been playing very well for the last three seasons. They were in the final last year. This season they played the Vijay Hazare Trophy final too.”
He feels Kerala has gained from having played away from home in different conditions. “The boys have accepted that challenge rather well. Now we are ready for the newest challenge”.
Published – February 25, 2025 09:20 pm IST