Ranji Trophy 2016-17: Race to knock-outs heats up

A week since that game, Karnataka are now sitting pretty at the top of the points table in Group B, having accrued 30 points from 6 games. They will face laggards Saurashtra in their penultimate game of the season in Patiala. The inception of ‘neutral venue’ in Ranji Trophy has seen Saurashtra struggle. With no games at their den in Rajkot, the team has found it tough. Going into Round 7, they have lost four games and drew the remaining two. As things stand, Saurashtra’s chances of qualifying look dim. Meanwhile, it’s a three-way race to the knock-outs in Group A. Just five points separate Mumbai, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat at the top. Gujarat have an advantage, as they still have an additional game to play.

Missing the Big Two

Fatherhood seems to be keeping Harbhajan Singh away from domestic cricket. At the start of Round 6, there was talk that Harbhajan would turn up for Punjab. With captain Yuvraj Singh’s busy with his impending marriage, the former Test star was to lead the team. That was not to be as Gurkeerat Mann walked out for toss. With two games to go, it looks like the season seems to be as good as over for Punjab’s Big Two.

Gowtham’s Aussie story

The story of how Karnataka offie K.Gowtham got a chance to bowl to Aussies during the 2004 series is interesting. It all started with the Indian team asking a few local youngsters to bowl at their batsman during the pre-match nets session in Bangalore, ahead of the opening Test against the touring Australians in 2004. Gowtham was one of them. He was meant to bowl to Sachin Tendulkar along with his idol Harbhajan Singh. That was the time when his action was similar to the ‘Turbanator’. This got the Aussies interested. “Gilchrist sent someone to call me from the nets so that I could bowl to him. I got him out once. Stumped,” recalls Gowtham.