Mission Eden: Bengal aim to be third-time lucky in Ranji final

The Eden Gardens has witnessed some unforgettable Test cricket moments, the 1987 World Cup final and the Twenty20 World Cup final in 2016, but there is one big match that the iconic venue has not hosted in over 32 years — the final of the country’s premier First-Class competition. In the 87-year history of Ranji Trophy, the title clash was held at Eden just four times. The last one in 1989-90 remains Bengal’s second and last championship win and the first after Independence.

The match beginning at Eden on Thursday, February 16, 2023 pits Bengal against Saurashtra, the team they had lost against in the final three years ago. After the 1989-90 triumph under Sambaran Banerjee in a match that saw Sourav Ganguly’s First-Class debut, this is the fifth time Team Bengal have come this far. They lost to Mumbai twice, Uttar Pradesh and Saurashtra. Captain Manoj Tiwary played in the last three of those games and, at the twilight of his career now, says winning it is his only cricketing ambition.

Manoj Tiwary

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“I am not thinking about how different this team is from the previous ones that reached the finals. We are focussed on practice sessions and preparing for this game. I expect our batting and bowling units to perform collectively like they have throughout the competition and concentrate on the process that has helped us reach the final. From a personal point of view, I want to score big and contribute to the team’s cause in the big game,” Tiwary told My Kolkata. The skipper has had a mediocre season, logging 398 runs from 15 innings with five half-centuries.

Memories to erase

Tiwary apart, coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla and assistant coach Saurasish Lahiri were both in the XI when Bengal lost back-to-back finals in 2005-06 and 2006-07. Middle-order mainstay Anustup Majumdar and seven others were part of the side which finished runners-up three years ago. As far as the collective urge of grabbing something that has kept slipping away is concerned, there is a lot of it in the Bengal ranks. The fire must be burning more in Tiwary, who has said he will retire if they win Ranji Trophy this season.

Anustup Majumdar

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Despite running into one of the most consistent teams in domestic cricket, which has been bolstered by the release of Jaydev Unadkat from the Test squad for this match, Bengal have reasons to be confident. Akash Deep is in the form of his life, having bagged the Player of the Match award in the quarter-final and semi-final. The fast-bowling unit he forms alongside Mukesh Kumar and Ishan Porel is arguably the best in the country and a major reason for Bengal's entry into the final. All-rounder Akash Ghatak, who is likely to make the XI after being dropped in the last game, is an ideal fourth choice. Spinner Shahbaz Ahmed is handy on most types of pitches.

Mukesh Kumar

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Bengal’s batting has largely revolved around opener Abhimanyu Eswaran, No. 3 Sudip Gharami and No. 4 Majumdar. All three have scored above 700 runs with three centuries apiece and feature in the top 10 run getters. Tiwary, Shahbaz and wicketkeeper Abhishek Porel have chipped in, although none of them have gone big yet. The concern is an opening partner for Eswaran. Several players have been tried out, without success. Bengal may persist with Karan Lal, who shared a fifty-plus partnership with Easwaran in the semi-final against defending champions Madhya Pradesh in Indore.

Opening concern remains

“Opening has bothered us in every match. We have not been able to find a suitable partner for Abhimanyu. But Karan has at least contributed 20-odd on a few occasions and played some 50-60 deliveries during those knocks. He can bowl a bit off-spin too. So, he can be an option, although we will wait and see what happens during practice before taking a final call,” said Tiwary. The team had a rest day on Monday after having flown back from Indore the previous night.

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Given that Bengal will play to their strength and prepare a pitch with assistance for fast bowlers, Unadkat’s inclusion is significant for Saurashtra. The left-armer has been among the best bowlers in the domestic circuit for a few years and was fielded in a Test match in Bangladesh last year. His understudy and fellow left-arm medium-pacer Chetan Sakariya is a tricky customer on pitches offering help and has played limited-over games for India. All-rounders Chirag Jani and Prerak Mankad are useful bowlers who play the containing role.

Saurashtra’s spin department is strong as well and left-armer Dharmendrasinh Jadeja is sixth on the season’s list with 41 wickets in eight matches. He has been a regular in the top 10 in the last few seasons. Off-spinner Yuvrajsinh Dodiya and left-arm orthodox Parth Bhut are also among the wickets, although the Eden pitch may not offer a lot to the likes of them.

Tactically astute opponents

The batting of the visiting side relies on left-hander Arpit Vasavada who is fourth in the charts with 826 runs. He was Player of the Match in the final three years ago and made a double century and unbeaten 47 in Saurashtra’s semi-final against Karnataka. Sheldon Jackson is the other reliable batter. But not many others have scored big consistently and this is what might encourage Bengal. But Saurashtra is not all about batting or bowling skills. They are known for devising plans for every match and executing them clinically. They play a tactical game which makes them tough opposition.

“They are a good side and we have to continue doing what has worked for us. The atmosphere in the dressing room is really good. The players are trying hard and backing each other. The team is happy to reach the final. But we are focussed on one thing. Winning the Ranji Trophy is a great motivation and this is something each and every one of us wants to do,” said Tiwary, the minister of state for affairs of youth and sports. He and Majumdar are the only members of this bunch who were born before Bengal’s last Ranji Trophy win. When Team Bengal step on the turf for a 15^th Ranji Trophy final on Thursday, players will be determined to make the team third time lucky.