TN chug along on another gloomy day

Chennai: Vijay Shankar and Baba Indrajith used their experience to good effect, guiding Tamil Nadu to 122 for two against Tripura at stumps on the curtailed second day of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group C match in Agartala on Saturday.After the first day was ruined by bad light and drizzle, the second day’s play was delayed and cut-short, with only 41 overs possible. The Sai Kishore-led TN, who elected to bat first, made four changes to their XI, handing three debuts – to the batting duo of R Vimal Khumar and Boopathi Vaishna Kumar, and pacer Ajay Krishna. TN have opted for a five-man bowling attack, with left-arm spinner S Ajith Ram playing for the first time this red-ball season.The visitors suffered an early blow as B Sachin (5), who made his maiden appearance for TN in the longest format in the previous game, was removed in just the eighth over. His opening partner, the left-handed Vimal, did not have the best of starts to his Ranji career, trapped LBW to leave TN struggling at 29-2 in the 13th over.But Vijay Shankar (50 batting off 83 balls, 9x4) and Indrajith (47 batting off 105 balls, 7x4) steadied the ship with a 93-run alliance for the unbroken third-wicket partnership. Vijay Shankar took special liking for Bikramjit Debnath, hitting five of his nine boundaries against the medium pacer. Vijay Shankar was the aggressor among the two batters during their 174-ball stand, while Indrajith picked the loose deliveries to find the fence.With first-timer Boopathi and wicketkeeper N Jagadeesan being the only remaining recognised batters left in the hut, Vijay Shankar and Indrajith will look to make it big on the third day. It is to be recalled that poor returns from the frontline batters cost TN dearly in their 111-run defeat to Gujarat in the tournament opener. Brief scores: Tamil Nadu 122-2 in 41 overs (Vijay Shankar 50*, B Indrajith 47*) Vs Tripura.
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