Tamil Nadu could have upped the tempo and put Andhra under pressure on a final day surface with R. Ashwin in its ranks. Instead, the side crawled.
Seemingly content with a point after conceding a 133-run lead, the side inched its way to 112 for two in 54 overs —batting two full sessions — against Andhra on the third day of the Ranji Trophy duel at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium.
The side had an opportunity to set Andhra a target and attempt to shake things up. But then, it wasn’t willing to take any risk on a pitch that slowed down but did not really challenge the batsmen.
For Andhra, B. Sumanth made a patient 109 (280b, 5x4, 1x6) that suited the side’s game-plan. As the underdog, Andhra was content with three points. It was Tamil Nadu that had to do all the running.
Vijay injured
To make matters worse for the host, Test opener M. Vijay hurt his ankle while running between wickets and hobbled off the arena. The injured area strapped, Vijay said he would bat if needed.
Left-handed opener and skipper Abhinav Mukund made a workmanlike unbeaten 54 (137b, 4x4) hardly ever managing to dominate the attack. B. Indrajith faced 51 deliveries for his 16 and B. Aparajith was batting on a 60-ball 15. The proceedings were mundane.
Earlier, Tamil Nadu made a heavy weather of the last three Andhra wickets — the visitor batted all but nine minutes of the lengthy 150-minute first session.
The bowlers could have been shuffled around more with switches in field placements if only to put doubts in batsmen’s mind, create chances. Tamil Nadu, though, was content to play the routine.
A limited bowler on better wickets since he does not flight and extract bounce, Rahil Shah sent down nine successive overs without success while off-spinner Washington Sundar, coming off a 11-wicket match haul in the Duleep Trophy final, did not get a bowl today.
With Ashwin — he scalped four — lacking support, Tamil Nadu could not bowl in partnerships.
For Andhra, Sumanth combined technique with resilience. He played closed to his body against pacemen, used his feet while combating spinners.
The 29-year-old batsman handled Ashwin capably, picking the length well and adjusting his footwork. Sumanth’s game is built around his defence.
Sumanth and Shoaib Mohammad (43, 145b, 5x4) added 90 vital runs in 40.1 overs for the eighth wicket in an association that frustrated Tamil Nadu further.
But then, Tamil Nadu’s tactics were predictable.
The scores:
Tamil Nadu — 1st innings:176
Andhra — 1st innings: D.B. Prashanth Kumar c Indrajith b L. Vignesh 1, K.S. Bharath st. Jagadeesan b Ashwin 32, H. Vihari c Aparajith b L. Vignesh 3, R. Bhui c Aparajith b K. Vignesh 22, Y. Venugopala Rao c Rahil b R. Ashwin 3, D. Sumanth c Washington b Ashwin 109, A. Hebbar b K. Vignesh 64, Shoaib Mohammad lbw b Ashwin 43, Bhargav Bhatt c Jagadeesan b Washington 4, B. Ayyappa b K. Vignesh 5, Y. Prithviraj (not out) 2; Extras (b-12, lb-2, nb-5, w-2): 21; Total (in 123.4 overs): 309.
Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-12, 3-40, 4-57, 5-64, 6-182, 7-193, 8-283, 9-302.
Tamil Nadu bowling: R. Ashwin 33.4-12-71-4, K. Vignesh 30-8-73-3, L. Vignesh 16-4-42-2, Rahil Shah 28-3-73-0, Washington 14-2-29-1, M. Vijay 2-0-7-0.
Tamil Nadu — 2nd innings: A. Mukund (batting) 54, M. Vijay (retired) 13, Kaushik Gandhi c S. Bharath b Prithviraj 7, B. Indrajith c Bharath b Bhatt 16, B. Aparajith (batting) 15; Extras (nb-1, lb-1, penalty 5): 7; Total (for two wkts in 54 overs): 112.
Fall of wickets: 1-39, 2-79.
Andhra bowling: B. Ayyappa 16-7-21-0, Y. Prithviraj 14-2-25-1, Bhargav Bhatt 15-1-40-1, Shoaib Mohammad 9-0-20-0.
