Made of arcs and strong spins

Offie J Hemchudeshan and left-arm spinner P Vidyuth, who performed brilliantly in the Buchi Babu tournament, have been selected to represent Tamil Nadu in the Ranji Trophy this season. Both complemented each other while playing for TNCA Presidents XI in the Buchi Babu, and depending upon the conditions and wicket, they are set to make their debuts for Tamil Nadu in the Ranji Trophy later this year. Since both R Sai Kishore (regular captain) and S Ajith Ram are out of the Tamil Nadu squad due to injury, these two have a good opportunity to represent Tamil Nadu. M Senthilnathan, chief coach of Tamil Nadu, believes that the team for the Ranji Trophy is a mixed bag of experience, and he insists that the youngsters must grab the opportunities they get and perform. They were consistent, performed well in the Buchi Babu tournament, and got selected for the Ranji Trophy. Same with players like G Ajitesh. And who will make it to the playing XI in the Ranji Trophy, it is too early to decide. It will depend upon conditions and the wicket. But I believe that every member picked in the team is ready to play the Ranji trophy, shared Senthilnathan. It is a dream come true for Hemchudeshan, who hails from Srirangam, Tiruchy. He had made an indelible mark in age-group tournaments and has earned his place in state-side by sheer weight of his performances over the past two years. I am feeling great to be in the Ranji Trophy squad. It was a great experience playing the Buchi Babu tournament and playing against top Ranji Trophy teams. I learnt a lot. This will help me prepare better for Ranji season, said an elated Hemchudeshan. The 17-year-old lanky spinner has been coached by Vinod Kumar since the age of five, and Wilkins Victor is his personal coach who is helping him fine-tune his craft now. Both have prepared me mentally and physically to play Ranji Trophy, acknowledges Hemchudeshan. J Hemchudeshan Every spinner has a stock delivery, and Hemchudeshan is learning to bowl the carrom ball perfectly. In the Buchi Babu tournament, I learnt how to handle pressure and bowl long spells at a stretch. I worked and improved in my variations. I am also working on bowling the carrom ball, he shared. For Vidyuth, who had been battling injuries for the last two years, the performance in the Buchi Babu tournament is a big driving force. Representing Tamil Nadu in the Ranji is a matter of pride and honour, and Im grateful to the association and the selectors for showing their trust and belief in me, said Vidyuth, filled with joy. It was very tough with two back-to-back injuries over the last couple of years. Bala (physio) from Chemplast and my trainers from Future Self Performance Institute played a crucial role in keeping me fit. They were a big part of my road to recovery, he added. Vidyuth will be expected to fill in the shoes of two players. Last year, playing alongside Sai Kishore and Ajit Ram in the Buchi Babu tournament, I learnt a lot, and this year, in their absence, Im looking forward to taking the responsibility for the teams win. We played against good opponents and on good wickets this year in the Buchi Babu tournament, and it has helped me improve my skillsets with the guidance from our coaches, he said. Over the past year, Vidyuth has been working hard in his bowling with Ram Kumar at Chemplast. With our Tamil Nadu coaches, Senthil sir and Thiru Kumaran sir, helping me, I tasted success in the Buchi Babu tournament with their valuable inputs and strategies, added the 24-year-old. Vidyuth insists that the revolutions that he imparts on the ball and the arm ball are his strengths and he is working on developing other variations to stay effective in first-class cricket.