A rained-out fixture against Kerala earlier in the Ranji Trophy campaign cost Karnataka crucial points. Bad luck notwithstanding, there were a few on-field concerns which robbed Karnataka of a spot in the knockout rounds.
The spin department wears a fairly depleted look. After trying several young tweakers in the previous season, Karnataka went back to the experienced Shreyas Gopal. Off-spinner Mohsin Khan and left-arm spinner Hardik Raj played second fiddle, but all things said, it was left to the strong pace line-up to shoulder the bowling responsibilities.
Karnataka coach Yere Goud explained that if Karnataka gets quality spinners into the fold next season, the results could be better.
“If you look at the top 15-20 wicket-takers in the Ranji Trophy, there are around 12-13 spinners. In the early part of the tournament, because of the conditions, our seamers played a major role. As the tournament progresses, spinners come into play. For Karnataka to progress, the spinners have to come into play. If we are able to cover that area in the next year, we have a good chance of doing well,” Goud said after Karnataka’s season ended with a draw against Haryana here on Sunday.
“Look at the teams which have qualified for the knockouts – they all have spinners who have taken lots of wickets. This reduces the load on fast bowlers. We are heavily dependant on fast bowlers to do the job,” Goud said.
The former Karnataka batter laid special emphasis on finding a left-arm spinner who can choke the run flow.
Goud believes that K.L. Shrijith’s batting ability makes him the ideal candidate for a long-term wicketkeeper-batter. “Shrijith got a hundred in his Ranji Trophy debut, and a hundred against Mumbai in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Modern wicketkeepers have to contribute with the bat. This is where Shrijith has done well,” Goud said.