Already knocked out, Tamil Nadu has nothing but pride to play for

CHENNAI: Already out of reckoning for knockout qualification, Tamil Nadu will be keen to register its maiden win of the Ranji Trophy season when it faces Assam in an Elite Group B match that begins on Tuesday at the MA Chidambaram Stadium here.

Tamil Nadu has collected only eight points from five matches – four draws and one loss – and sits a lowly sixth on the table. Meanwhile, Assam is a spot above its host with 11 points off five games (one win, three draws and one loss).

After Tamil Nadu was knocked out of the premier red-ball competition, the state’s men’s senior selection panel, headed by S Vasudevan, last Friday handed captaincy duties to left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore, who would hope to begin on a high in his new role. Sai Kishore had been Baba Indrajith’s deputy when the latter led the team in the first five matches.

Although there is nothing but pride to play for, Tamil Nadu will be determined to produce a ‘complete game’, something it could not manage in any of its previous matches. The southern side will be delighted to return to home conditions at Chepauk, which more often than not assist the slow bowlers.

While the Sai Kishore-led team will have the home advantage, Assam can take a cue from Andhra Pradesh on how to defeat Tamil Nadu on its own patch.

In Tamil Nadu’s first home match in Coimbatore, Andhra had edged the host out by eight runs.

Handed captaincy midway through the season, R Sai Kishore would hope to begin on a high