"The team's strategy was to bowl full": Rituraj Singh

Rituraj Singh played key role in affecting the direction of the game with a 4-for against a reputed Tamil Nadu batting line up.

“I was trying to be accurate rather than be fast. I went by Hrishi bhai’s advice and it paid off,” Rituraj Singh, who was the star performer with a four-for for Rajasthan with the ball said at the press conference.

“We were tired. The pitch didn’t hold much for the fast bowlers. But we stuck to our game plan of bowling full,” he said when asked what he thought worked for them on the fourth day.

Rajasthan were crawling to 404 for 2 at the end of day 2, an approach that sparked criticisms about them being conservative, but Rituraj Singh said they had planned out a specific total in mind.

“We came out to bat with specific plans in mind and we didn’t want to declare before we reach the planned score,” he said.

Rituraj finished with match figures 26-5-76-4.

“My days with the MRF pace foundation has really helped me,” he said.

Dinesh Karthik, who put up a fighting knock said it was a bit disappointing to have scored hundreds in two finals and both not ending in their favor.

“Yes, it is a bit disappointing. Winning the Ranji trophy for Tamil Nadu has always been my dream. To score two centuries (in two finals) and end up in the wrong side, it is quite disappointing,” Karthik said.

Karthik scored his 11th Ranji hundred today. While doing so, he also went past 300 first-class runs.

Karthik then came in defence of his fellow players who failed to make an impression here. “In the two innings against Maharashtra and Bombay I didn’t stand up but here, I did. This goes to show that the others who didn’t perform here played their hand there,” he said.

When asked what affected the result of the game, he said, “A lot depended on the toss. We are a very good bowling unit. It was a little unfair that when Rajasthan batted, they played on a flat wicket and the wicket behaved differently when we went out to bat on the third day.”

Has he made a strong case to play for India again?

“Of course, I would like to think so.”

“Playing for India is the ultimate dream for any player,” Dinesh Karthik said, optimistic of a comeback.