Bengal should gain from veteran skipper Tiwary’s experience
The Hindu
Uttar Pradesh, with a decent batting line-up, will look to get off to a good start in the clash between last season’s semifinalists
Manoj Tiwary will have the unique distinction of wearing two hats for Bengal as the State Sports Minister will captain the side against Uttar Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy opener at the Eden Gardens here on Tuesday.
Tiwary, who earlier led the zonal team while being a minister, last led the State team in 2018-19. He has taken up the responsibility for the first two matches as regular skipper Abhimanyu Easwaran has joined the Indian squad for the Test series against Bangladesh.
With his wealth of experience, 37-year-old Tiwary will inspire the home team in a battle of two semifinalists of the previous season.
The biggest challenge for Bengal, which reached the quarterfinals of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and narrowly missed out on a Vijay Hazare Trophy knockouts berth, is to fill the void created by Abhimanyu’s absence. The unavailability of pacer Mukesh Kumar, who is out with an injury, is another issue.
Bengal will rely on Tiwary, Anustup Majumdar, Sudip Gharami and all-rounders Shahbaz Ahmed and Sayan Shekhar Mondal in batting while eyeing a good start.
On a pitch that may offer some help for the faster bowlers, Ishan Porel and Akash Deep will lead Bengal’s pace attack.
“It is always an honor to lead Bengal. Preparations have been spot on. Now it’s about executing the plans,” said Tiwary.
Asian Games champion Avinash Sable opened his season in the 3000m steeple chase with a silver in the Portland Track Festival, a World Athletics Continental Tour bronze event, in Oregon on Saturday. He clocked 8:21.85s. Asian champion Parul Chaudhary took the bronze in the women’s 3000m steeple chase in a season-best 9:31.38s. Former Asian bronze medallist Sanjivani Jadhav struck gold in the women’s 10,000m in 32:22.77s, a time which was a second off her personal best, while Seema was sixth in 32:55.91s.