Ranji Trophy | Hyderabad, Sikkim in battle of equals

Hyderabad faces Sikkim in a crucial match at NexGen cricket ground, with both teams having 13 points each.

Former champion Hyderabad takes on Sikkim at a new venue, NexGen cricket ground here from Friday, in what could be a battle of equals given the fact that the two teams have 13 points each from the first two games they played in the Ranji Trophy Plate Group.

Hyderabad goes into the match with the satisfaction of registering outright victories inside two days against Nagaland and Mizoram respectively, with Rahul Singh, turning out for the home team for the first time this season, scoring a double century in the opener.

Tilak Varma, who also scored a century in the season-opener against Nagaland, will be back to represent Hyderabad.

With Rohit Rayudu cracking a match-winning ton against Meghalaya, the top order seems pretty good.

In bowling, left-arm spinner Tanay Thyagarajan has been outstanding while left-arm pacer C. Milind and T. Ravi Teja have been consistent.

For the Nilesh Lamichaney-led Sikkim, the predominant performers in the first two games have been the 36-year-old all-rounder Sumit Singh, who scored 100 and 76 besides taking a four-wicket haul in the first match against Mizoram, along with Ashish Thapa (97 and 60) in batting.

Leg-spinner Ankur Malik was consistent, providing the crucial breakthroughs.