Kerala hopes to bounce back from an unexpected loss to Gore when he faces Services in the fifth round of the Ranji Trophy on the grounds of KCA-St.Xavier’s College on Tuesday.
Losing to Goa exposed Kerala’s weaknesses. Opponents called shots on terms tailored to the host. The crew was so careless that skipper Sijomon Joseph looked unimaginable in his debut as captain.
With the exception of Rohan Prem and Sachin Baby, Kerala’s batsmen have been inconsistent. The return of Vatsal Govind, who has recovered from illness, strengthens his batting. However, Rohan Kunnammel has a high fever and is unlikely to face the Services.
“You have to hit the ball well.”
Kerala’s over-reliance on Jalaj Saxena backfired against Goa. Backup spinners Sijomon and Vaisakh couldn’t handle the pressure. Kerala coach Tinu yohannan admitted his side’s performance was poor against Goa but said he was confident against Serves. “The batting and bowling issues need to be addressed. I’ve spoken to the guys about it. This is real wickets and we have to throw well as a unit. We don’t take service lightly. I We have to believe in our process and not worry about the opposition,” he said. Service manager Rajesh Tiwari said his team is doing well after their first tournament victory, but after playing all their games in Delhi’s cool climate, the youngsters are struggling to adjust to the hot weather here. A recent victory over Kerala in whiteball cricket will benefit his side. are a good team, but they’ve got to watch out for us, as they recently beat Saeed Mustaq Ali in a knockout match.”