A playful banter between Shreyas Iyer and Sai Kishore on the eve of their Buchi Babu tournament match set the stage for an exciting encounter on the field. Iyer, known for his aggressive batting style, challenged Kishore, the TNCA XI captain, to bowl to him without a long-off fielder. Kishore, a left-arm spinner, readily accepted the challenge, setting up a strategic duel.
As Iyer walked out to bat, Kishore surprised him by strategically placing a fielder straight behind him on the boundary, instead of a conventional long-off. The unorthodox approach paid off immediately as Iyer’s pull shot went straight to short midwicket.
The Mumbai team’s hopes rested on the shoulders of Suryakumar Yadav, a flamboyant batsman known for his inventive shots. Yadav, true to form, unleashed his trademark sweep shots, but Kishore was prepared. He positioned fielders strategically on the leg side, effectively limiting Yadav’s options.
Despite the defensive tactics, Yadav initially dominated the game, scoring freely and working the ball around the ground. However, Kishore’s strategic brilliance prevailed. Recognizing that Yadav was gaining momentum, Kishore brought on S. Ajith Ram, a fellow left-arm tweaker, into the attack. Ajith Ram had bowled only two overs at the beginning of the innings, making this a calculated move.
The bowling change proved effective, as Yadav, attempting to hit another boundary, holed out to mid-on. Ajith Ram, reflecting on his success, attributed it to his focus on length and Yadav’s aggressive batting style, commenting, “Suryakumar has too many shots. He can do sweeps, reverse sweeps and everything. I concentrated on my length and it came out well.”
While the TNCA XI ultimately gained the upper hand on day two, the match served as a reminder of the thrilling battles that await in the tournament. Iyer and Yadav will undoubtedly be eager to settle the score in future matches.
