Ranji Trophy: Six players to look out for in the Quarter finals

Zaheer Khan

Team: Mumbai

Zaheer Khan

Zaheer started the Test series against South Africa with a four wicket haul but more than the wickets it was the nip in the bowling, the intent in the run up and the overall effort that he put in which impressed the most. The absence of these traits were probably the biggest culprit in Zaheer Khan’s exclusion after the home series against England in 2012 and the ‘fitness regaining’ trip to France was surely an acknowledgment of that.

The success in the first innings of the series against a strong South African line up seemed to confirm the fruitfulness of the hard work put in France, but what followed that was an eye-opener not just for the selectors but for Zaheer himself. The disappointment wasn’t because of Zaheer’s failures but because of the reasons behind them. It looked like England 2012 happening all over again for India’s pace spearhead (if at all there is a spearhead).

Quite clearly, Zaheer wasn’t bowling the balls but was just putting them there. The back wasn’t bending enough, the follow up was jaded and the run up seemed as if an eighty year old was trying his hands on rock climbing. The lack of pace, movement and the overall effectiveness in this case cannot be attributed to a lack of will or interest from Zaheer’s side.

If that was so, then the trip to France or participation in the Ranji trophy for Mumbai would have never taken place. Clearly the problem for Zaheer was the lack of fitness and stamina to bear the workload of close to 90 overs over a period of 10-12 days. It’s pretty tricky to pinpoint a reason for that lack of fitness and stamina; may be Zaheer didn’t back up the gruelling sessions in France with enough bowling, or may be the long break from international cricket had rendered him mentally unready for big efforts in back to back innings against a quality line up.

Whatever the reason is, he will have a good chance to sort it out against a competitive Maharashtra batting line up. The fact that Zaheer has already been picked for the tour of New Zealand might just help him to be mentally calm for the Ranji assignment, and thus focus on and sort out his shortcomings, and he needs to do that quickly as a failure against the Kiwis might not give him a chance to do so again.

Vijay Zol

Team: Maharashtra

Vijay Zol

With the rise of Vijay Zol, India’s tradition of producing quality batsmen with a penchant of scoring big runs at the under-19 level does not look like ending anytime soon. But as players such as Unmukt Chand, Ambati Rayudu or even Shikhar Dhawan would have found out, the transition from the junior level to the first class level is quite challenging, and as of now, Zol doesn’t seem to be exception.

Barring the solitary double hundred against the minnows Tripura, Zol has scored just 210 runs at an average of mere 23. The southpaw has found the going tough against the big boys of first-class cricket and it is definitely not going to get any easier against Mumbai, where he would have to square up against the likes of Zaheer Khan. It would be intriguing to see how the under-19 star adapts to the intricacies of the longer format.

Zol has been chosen as the captain of the Indian team for the Under-19 world cup next month and the Ranji quarter final might just give him the necessary mental workout before the world event in the Middle East.

Manish Pandey

Team: Karnataka

Manish Pandey

Manish Pandey has often shown shades of absolute brilliance but has never quite followed it up with enough consistency. The reasons for the inconsistency have varied from being cricketing ones to even off-field distractions. But for Pandey, the current Ranji season seems to be have all the makings of that one breakaway season that every cricketer longs for.

The flashy right-hander has been the second highest run-scorer for Karnataka this season and has displayed a sense of calm and maturity that has been long missing from the youngster’s game. A big innings in the quarter-finals would not only help his team but his own self to get back into the reckoning of the national selectors.

Jiwanjot Singh

Team:Punjab

Jiwanjot Singh

Unarguably, the find of the last Ranji season, Jiwanjot Singh has continued to pile on the runs for Punjab even this time around. The magnitude of runs might now be as big as that of last year, but the application against good attacks in difficult conditions as been the same if not better.

With two big overseas tours lined up for the Indian team this year, Jiwanjot has a great chance to get a look into the national squad as the reserve opener. But in order to get ahead of the likes of Gautam Gambhir and Abhinav Mukund, in the race for the leading reserve opener, Jiwanjot will have to score big in the quarter-finals and hope to do the same in the semis and the finals subject to Punjab progressing.

Harbhajan Singh

Team :Punjab

Harbhajan Singh

A brilliant man of the match performance in the Champions league T20 finals to lead his team to victory, followed up by 18 wickets of three matches to kick start the Ranji season – Harbhajan’s comeback bid was getting increasingly serious with each passing day of the season, until an injury cropped up.

The injury forced the off-spinner to miss the rest of the round-robin matches but now fit again, Bhajji would be looking to get back in the reckoning of the national selectors. With Ashwin struggling on overseas tours and a busy schedule lined up for the national team this year, a player with a record like that of Harbhajan definitely stands a very healthy chance of making a comeback. Fitness and fielding have never been an issue for the off-spinner and hence only a couple of good domestic performances could propel him back into the international scheme of things.

Parvez Rasool

Team: Jammu & Kashmir

Parvez Rasool

If there is one player who could spoil the party for Harbhajan Singh in his comeback trail, it is Parvez Rasool. Touted by many as presently the best off spinner in the country after Ashwin, Rasool caught everyone’s eye with a string of resplendent performances with both bat and ball which even included a brilliant seven-wicket haul against an international line-up.

Though, Rasool was performing reasonably well with the bat (an average of 50) this season, it was his primary skill of bowling where the results were less encouraging. But as they say “cometh the hour,cometh the man” , Parvez brought his “A game” in the virtual pre-quarter finals against Tripura to lead his team into the knockouts.

The quarter final match at Vadodra presents a very intriguing battle on hand where in Harbhajan Singh and Rasool would be up against probably his foremost competitor for a spot in the national squad. Irrespective of whichever way the battle tilts, the experience of a Ranji knockout game would definitely be an enriching one for the shy Kashmiri lad.