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Karnataka’s Ranji campaign on

Principal Correspondent

Bangalore: Karnataka last won the Ranji Trophy in 1999 and for Vijay Bharadwaj, a key member of the winning team, the memory of that triumph has faded with the subsequent below-par performances of the State over the years.

Now busy as the team’s coach, Bharadwaj believes that it is time to rev up performance.

In the build-up to the super league Group B match against Railways commencing here on November 3, the former India player put his team through the paces in a camp that commenced at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Thursday.

The 15-member team led by Robin Uthappa along with 13 other players who figured in the initial probables list of 32, limbered up in a fitness-cum-fielding session in the morning before reverting to nets in the afternoon.

Ray Jennings, who recently replaced Martin Crowe as coach of the Royal Challengers Bangalore outfit, was also present during the training sessions.

New ideas

“The spirit is excellent and the players are keen to make the right start and maintain it through the season. There is a refreshing change in attitude and in fact instead of me telling them what to do, I asked them to write down what they want to do this season and the response was positive. There was also a good exchange of ideas with Jennings,” said Bharadwaj. He also added that the players have responded well to new captain Robin Uthappa.

Bharadwaj said there would be no let-up in the intensity of the team’s training programme. “The camp may have started today but we have been practising for the last few days. This daily mix of nets and fielding drills will be followed all the way to the match that will start here on Monday,” Bharadwaj said.

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