TNPL 2016: Ruby Kanchi Warriors take on VB Thiruvallur Veerans in clash of youngsters

Ruby Kanchi Warriors will take on VB Thiruvallur Veerans in the battle between two young sides in the first of the two India Cements Tamil Nadu Premier League matches at the India Cements Limited Ground, Sankarnagar, Tirunelveli on Monday. Both the teams are coming off losses but the Veerans are better placed than Warriors in the points table.

VB Thiruvallur Veerans got off to a dream start in the India Cements TN Premier League, before they locked horns with Dindigul Dragons. Batting weakness of the team was exposed in the last match, with only Sanjay Yadav standing apart from the rest of the batting line-up.

The Veerans’ bowling also wasn’t successful in making an impression last game and they would hope that they can come up with a better performance against Warriors.

Veerans would hope that the top order NS Chaturved, Hari Nishaanth come good so that they can capitalise on a good foundation. The middle order will also need to step up for the team to post a good total on what looks like a batting wicket at Tirunelveli.

If the wicket is slow like the one in the Albert TUTI Patriots versus Karaikudi Kaalai match, then there are bowlers in the Veerans side who can make use of that kind of pitch well - Malolan Rangarajan leading the pack with Rahil Shah, R Rohit and Abhishek Tanwar providing good support.

The Warriors, meanwhile, have only the super over win to boast of in the tournament. Two disappointing losses against Dindigul Dragons and Chepauk Super Gillies have put the team in a spot of bother as they languish in the seventh place in the points table. Baba Indrajith who came up with a fighting performance in the first game would look to lead from the front and take forward the middle order.

Nilesh Subramanian’s form at the top of the order is a positive for the team and they’d hope he continues with the same form. In the bowling department, M Prabhu and the second highest wicket-taker R Jesuraj have done well for the Warriors. But it is the batting that needs to contribute for the Warriors to gain the winning momentum. Key battle: Rahil Shah versus Baba Indrajith. Having played a lot of matches together in the state level and knowing each other’s game well, it would be a riveting contest. Rahil’s left armers against Indrajith’s spirited strokes makes it a contest to watch out for.