The Ranji Trophy season is upon us and there are certain players who will be looking to this season as their make or break one. Here are five players whose careers depend on this Ranji season:
Robin Uthappa:
The Bangalore-based batsman has had his time in the limelight back in the day but has not been able to find his way back in the squad. With age not on his side, this could be the last season for him to try and force a way back to the squad.
Uthappa is a good hitter of the ball and can make runs on a good day. If he can find some form of consistency, he could find his way back in the team.
Yusuf Pathan:
The Indian batsman is another player who will be looking at this Ranji season as his last chance to get into the Indian team. He has not featured for over 6 years now, so finding a place could be very hard.
He needs to play out of his skin this season if he wishes to come and have any chance of regaining a spot back in the team.
Vinay Kumar:
The fast bowler has been out of contention for many years now but could find his way back if he can have a good season with Karnataka. Kumar was at one point considered a good prospect for the Indian team and could have one last go.
Vinay Kumar has been a decent bowler for India in the past having featured in a few matches for the country both home and abroad.
Gautam Gambhir:
The forgotten Indian hero is another player who will be praying for a good Ranji season with Delhi if he is to get to the squad. Gambhir was a fantastic servant for Indian cricket for many years and has the mental willingness to play one last time.
Gambhir however, does not have age on his side and with the Indian selectors looking to go for more youth, this could be his last ever chance to be in contention.
Yuvraj Singh:
With Yuvi almost done with his international career, it will be hard for him to find a place back. If he can bring out the magic in the Ranji season, then maybe one last hurrah is in store for the middle-order batsman.
Yuvraj has all the experience to play in the biggest stages and could be looking to force his way back into the team.
Irfan Pathan
Irfan Pathan has been trying hard to make a comeback but he hasn’t given any extraordinary performance to push the selectors. This season, Irfan would be hoping to put a great show and make headlines for the right reasons. It won’t be easy for the Baroda all-rounder to make a comeback but he is a very hard working cricketer and, as they say, you never know.
Suresh Raina
Not long ago, Suresh Raina was an important member of Indian cricket team in limited overs cricket. But, now, he is struggling to make a comeback. Raina dropped form and fitness and the likes of Manish Pandey and Kedar Jadhav took his place. These two have been performing well for India and making things difficult for Raina. The upcoming holds great importance for Raina as many pundits believe that his career depends on this season.
By Rohit Nair
