This is Tamil Nadu’s best Ranji Trophy title chance: Srinivasan

Tamil Nadu finished third in the group at the end of the league stage with 26 points behind powerhouse Mumbai and Gujarat. Tamil Nadu will meet old foes Karnataka in their quarter-final match at Visakhapatnam next week and Srinivasan said this was the state team’s greatest chance. “They have been performing very well and undoubtedly this is Tamil Nadu’s best chance to win the Ranji Trophy,” he said. 

Incidentally, Tamil Nadu finished runners-up to Karnataka in the final a couple of seasons ago. With the national duties of senior players Murali Vijay and Ravichandran Ashwin getting over after the ongoing Test here (the team will be on a Christmas break before the ODIs against England), the TNCA President said, they would make a difference to the TN team. 

“Both Vijay and Ashwin have expressed their interest to be a part of the Tamil Nadu team. I hope they can make it for the quarter-final match against Karnataka,” Srinivasan said, on the sidelines of the fifth and final Test at the M A Chidambaram Stadium. 

The 71-yeard-old President heaped praise on Tamil Nadu coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar for the team’s turn-around in fortunes. “He is an experienced campaigner and has a lot of experience in leading sides to championships. The team is looking in great shape to win the title,” he added.