Ranji Trophy 2018-19, 4th Quarter-Final: Kerala vs Gujarat: Dream11 Fantasy Cricket Tips – Playing XI, Pitch Report & Injury Update

Kerala made it to the quarter-finals of Ranji Trophy for the second season in a row something they couldn’t achieve even once till end of 2016-17 season. The inclusion of Jalaj Saxena has improved the quality as the all-rounder contributes with both bat and ball. Kerala proved they are a solid team without Saxena when they defeated Himachal Pradesh in the do-or-die last round as the MP-born player was out injured. They will be hosting Gujarat in the quarter-final game starting on Tuesday.

Parthiv Patel has returned from Australia after being part of India’s victorious Test squad in Australia. The 32-year-old will be leading Gujarat in the knockout phase as they aim for their 2nd Ranji Title in three seasons. It will be interesting to see who he replaces in the XI. The keeper-captain is expected to take the place of Rujul Bhatt who is the only specialist Gujarat batsman to not score a century this season. Rujul, however, has scored 462 runs at an average of 42 with three fifties thus far.

Match Details:

The 4th Quarter-Final game of the Ranji Trophy 2018-19 will be played between Kerala and Gujarat at the Krishnagiri Stadium in Wayanad, Kerala.

The match with begin on 15th January 2019 at 9:30 AM local time (IST) (4:00 AM GMT). Streaming of this game will be available on Hotstar in India.

Pitch Condition/Report:

The Krishnagiri Stadium in Wayanad hosted the game between Puducherry and Sikkim earlier this season which was a high-scoring one. However, the pacers had made merry in favourable conditions during the three matches played at this venue in the 2016/17 Ranji season played with a neutral venues concept. Once again, a pace-friendly track can be expected at the Wayanad.

Form:

Kerala’s league phase performance:

Kerala finished 4th in the Elite Group A and B with 26 points from four outright wins and a draw out of 8 matches while they lost three.

Gujarat’s league phase performance:

Gujarat finished 5th in the Elite Group A and B with 26 points that they earned on the back of three outright wins and five draws from 8 matches.

Probable XI:

Kerala:

Sachin Baby (C), Mohammed Azharuddin, Sanju Samson, Vishnu Vinod, Ponnam Rahul, Vinoop Manoharan, Sandeep Warrier, Basil Thampi, MD Nidheesh, Sijomon Joseph, Jalaj Saxena (V A Jagadeesh/KB Arun Karthik).

Gujarat:

Parthiv Patel (C & WK), Priyank Panchal, Chintan Gaja, Kathan D Patel, Manprit Juneja, Dhruv Raval, Roosh Kalaria, Axar Patel, Piyush Chawla, Siddharth Desai, Arzan Nagwaswalla.

Injury and Availability Updates after the announcement of the squads:

Parthiv Patel will be available for Gujarat during the knockout phase of Ranji Trophy.

There is no news on Jalaj Saxena’s injury.

Power Picks:

The India Under-19 player Siddharth Desai has been a key player for the Gujarat team. The left-arm spinner has claimed 52 wickets in his short 11-match first-class career with five 5-wicket hauls. In the ongoing season, Desai is Gujarat’s leading wicket-taker having picked up 23 wickets from six matches at an average of 25.08. However, he will be less effective if the track doesn’t help spinners. Desai bowled only two overs for 28 runs in the previous game against Maharashtra in Pune.

Captain and Vice-Captain Selection:

Priyank Panchal’s form and Roosh Kalaria’s effectiveness are expected to make a difference in this game. The duo can be picked up as captain or vice-captain. Nagwaswalla and Sandeep Warrier are options for the vice-captain’s place. Saxena could be your captain/vice-captain depending on his availability.

Playing XI #1 for Head to Head/Small Leagues:

Keeper – Dhruv Raval

Batters – Priyank Panchal (C), Sachin Baby, Kathan D Patel, Ponnam Rahul

All-Rounders – Roosh Kalaria (VC), Piyush Chawla

Bowlers – Sandeep Warrier, Basil Thampi, Chintan Gaja, Arzan Nagwaswalla

Playing XI #2 for Grand Leagues/Mega Leagues:

Keeper – Parthiv Patel

Batters – Sachin Baby, Kathan D Patel, Ponnam Rahul, Mohammed Azharuddin

All-Rounders – Roosh Kalaria, Jalaj Saxena (C)

Bowlers – Sandeep Warrier, Basil Thampi, Chintan Gaja, Arzan Nagwaswalla (VC)

Expert Advice:

There is no update on Jalaj Saxena’s injury and picking him might be risky. Given the high prices of players on both sides, his absence might actually work well for fantasy players.

Probable Winners:

Gujarat will start as favourites against Kerala due to a better all-round squad at their disposal.

*Disclaimer: This team is based on the understanding, analysis and instinct of the author. While selecting your team, consider the points mentioned and make your own decision.

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