Sub-plot: A race to grab a WC spot

After a six-year exile, Uthappa has come back to the ODI fold, thanks to the 660 runs he made in the 2014 IPL. He went to Bangladesh earlier this year and played two matches in the home series against Sri Lanka. As far as domestic cricket is concerned, he has started off the season with 214 runs from six matches (35.66) in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and made 56 in two matches in the Deodhar Trophy.

Pandey scored 472 runs in seven matches (118.00), including a century and four fifties in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. He, however, faltered in the Deodhar Trophy with 55 runs from two matches.

Playing catch-up
Tiwary is playing catch-up this term after missing the entire 2013-14 Ranji season due to a freak knee injury. He sparkled in the Vijay Hazare Trophy with 302 runs in six matches (60.40), including a match-winning hundred against Vidarbha. He led East Zone to title in the Deodhar Trophy and finished with 226 runs from two matches (106.10). Not that it had been all smooth sailing.

Just a few weeks ago, Tiwary was vilified for scoring a 92-ball 56 in the Vijay Hazare Trophy semi final against Karnataka as Bengal lost the match from a seemingly impregnable position. Karnataka captain Vinay Kumar, however, had stood by the beleaguered Bengal batsman then.

“He was batting very sensibly. The wicket became slow and it was the right approach on that surface. From his point of view, it was unfortunate that he was run out, but it’s always easy to criticise from outside,” Vinay told this paper after the match. But as the two teams renew their rivalry on an Eden Gardens green-top on Sunday, there will be no quarter given and none asked for. With Abhimanyu Mithun fit and available for selection, Karnataka boasts of a four-pronged pace attack.

‘Ready for challenge’
Tiwary says he is ready for the challenge. “From batsmen’s perspective, we are always happy to see a featherbed. But batting against a quality pace attack on a seamer-friendly wicket is a different challenge. It will be very satisfying to score runs here,” Tiwary said on the match eve.

He has adjusted his backlift, making it shorter and straighter and will be wearing a new white helmet, a trademark style of the former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin

But after scoring seven and four in the first match against Baroda, Tiwary will be under pressure to perform on home turf. Uthappa and Pandey have arrived here on the heels of 76 and 56 not out respectively in the second innings against Tamil Nadu.

Also, they’ve the advantage of playing for a winning team while Tiwary doesn’t have much support to fall back on. All in all, an interesting battle awaits us.