HYDERABAD: Having missed out on knockout last year, Hyderabad look to improve on their previous performance when they begin their campaign against Tripura in the Ranji Trophy Group B clash at the Gymkhana beginning Sunday.Hyderabad finished fourth in their group last season with one win, two losses and four draws. This season the hosts have relaid their black soil pitches with red-soil ones for more success. And they bank on captain Mohammed Siraj to lead from the front.Hyderabad have a strong batting line-up with the experienced Tanmay Agarwal, M Abhirath Reddy, G Rahul Singh, K Himateja and wicketkeeper-batter Rahul Radesh while all-rounders Ajay Dev Goud and Varun Goud provide good options. In the bowling department, Siraj will be backed by vice-captain CV Milind and Rakshann Readdi with left-arm spinners Tanay Thyagarajann and G Anikethreddy adding to the variety.Siraj will look to make the most of the game time ahead of joining the Indian team for the New Zealand tour beginning Oct 22. Coach Anirudh Singh sounded confident on match eve. “We played against Kerala at home recently and the boys got to play a lot of matches before the domestic season. They played the Super league for the first time and that was good preparation. We have a balanced team with experience and youth in the right mix,” said Anirudh.He reckoned Siraj’s availability will motivate the team further. “A player of his stature in the team is a big plus,” he added.Tripura, led by all-rounder Manisankar Murasingh, bank on the experience of G Hanuma Vihari and Mandeep Singh. Former Hyderabad captain Vihari knows the conditions well and coach Satrajit Lahiri also sounded confident. “We have a lot of all-rounders in this team. So, we are hopeful that it will be a challenging match,” said Lahiri.He also hopes the experience of Mandeep and Vihari will help his team. “Both of them are committed and that is motivating for other players in the team. Vihari is also a terrific batsman. He will definitely help in analysing the situations. So, we will get good input from him on the field,” added Lahiri.
