Ranji Trophy, Tamil Nadu vs Saurashtra: Left-arm spin twin tango of Sai Kishore and Ajith Ram bamboozles Saurashtra for 183

There was a high degree of calmness and assuredness in Tamil Nadu’s ranks on Friday. If facing defending champions Saurashtra in their first Ranji Trophy quarterfinal appearance in six years itself was a daunting task, they were made to bowl first against a batting line-up that includes an in-form Cheteshwar Pujara, a master when it comes to blunting attacks.

And as the day ended around 4.45 pm, it was Tamil Nadu who looked the more assertive of the two sides, with their captain R Sai Kishore leading from the front with a 5-wicket haul, to dismiss Saurashtra for 183 at the SNR College grounds here. At stumps, the hosts were 23/1.

This was a day where the conditions tested Tamil Nadu to the core. There was turn on the surface, but it wasn’t venomous and they had to be disciplined at all times. Thanks to the early summer that sets in, the temperatures have been hitting the mid-30s, with the ground-staff doing everything they can in the lead up to the match to prevent it from breaking open. Even on Thursday evening, with the surface being dry, they watered it once more in the hope that the game goes the distance. But given the heat factor, it is now at the mercy of the weather.

Given all these factors, Tamil Nadu will feel content with how Friday panned out as they get a good shot at going for a big first innings total, provided their in-form batting line-up stands up at the moment of reckoning. They may have qualified to the knockouts as table toppers of Group C, but Tamil Nadu is still a team in progress. After starting with a defeat to Gujarat, they notched convincing wins against Railways, Chandigarh, Goa and Punjab. And in the first big test they faced against Karnataka, they had faltered with ball and bat in the first innings before they staged a superb comeback in the second-half. That game had taught them a few handy lessons.

How Tamil Nadu blunted Saurashtra

Here, against Saurashtra – a team superior to Karnataka and known to give nothing away – Tamil Nadu’s attack hardly put a foot wrong. And after pacer Sandeep Warrier gave them an early breakthrough, it was over to the two left-arm spinners – Sai Kishore and S Ajith Ram – to seize control.

They are of the same tribe, but are totally opposite in every possible way. If Sai Kishore is tall and bowls with a short run-up and is slower through the air, the latter is a bit short, bowls with a long run-up and can rush the batsman. If Sai Kishore likes bowling with the new ball, Ajith prefers the old ball. But when they get the ball in their hands, they can keep delivering the long spells. Like Sai Kishore did on Day 1, where he bowled the entire second session unchanged in a manic 15-over-spell. He ended the day with figures of 5-66.

Even off the field, they are totally different. Ajith Ram is studious and meticulous. Ahead of a game, he prefers sending in a few overs in the nets to get his rhythm flowing. When he isn’t representing the state, you will find him playing for his college or with friends. Sai Kishore, on the other hand, is more of a wanderer. He sets off on spiritual tours to Tiruvannamalai temple, sleeps off on Girivalam paths if he is too exhausted or goes and meditates in the remotest of places. He is as hard to predict.

But together on the field, they can force batsmen to do silly things. Like Pujara did here. Having come in at No 4, he faced 22 deliveries. 12 of those were bowled by Sai Kishore and 10 off Ajith, and in those not once he looked in total control.

Both spinners were mixing lengths so well that Pujara could hardly use his feet. With close-in fielders at either side, he was prodding before he chose to come down the track off the 22nd delivery he faced. If Pujara was up to the challenge, so was Ajith Ram. He saw the advancing batsmen and slowed it down as the ball dipped far ahead of what Pujara had anticipated. In the end, he just spooned a return catch to the bowler, who accepted it gleefully.

From there on — except for opener Harvik Desai, who made 83 off 185 deliveries – none of the other Saurashtra batsmen came close to taking back control. Their hesitance in breaking the shackles meant both the spinners didn’t need any second invitation as they were all over Saurashtra in the second session before wrapping the tail in the final third.

That six of Saurashtra batsmen were either trapped in front or were bowled by Tamil Nadu spoke of how neat and simple the two spinners kept it, giving absolutely no room for batsmen to work around. Having done all the hard work, Tamil Nadu have a task at hand to keep Saurashtra at bay on Day 2. Jaydev Unadkat & Co, will be waiting for Saturday morning.

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