Ranji Trophy 2017/18: If We Can Score Against Umesh Yadav, It Will Give Us a Huge Confidence, Says Shreyas Gopal

A lot of credit for Karnataka’s innings win over 41-time champions, Mumbai, in the quarterfinal should go to Shreyas Gopal, who played an innings of 150* and stretched the team’s score to an extent from where they did not bat again.

In reply to Mumbai’s score of 173 in the first innings, Karnataka posted a score of 570 and in the end, which later helped his side beat Mumbai by an innings and 20 runs.

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On the fourth day itself, Karnataka wrapped up the game and became the first team to reach the semifinal. In their second knockout game, they will be facing Vidarbha, which might have Umesh Yadav in its ranks.

All-rounder Shreyas Gopal is excited to face the top class bowler and has said that scoring runs against him will be a huge confidence booster,

“All of us are quite excited to play against a top-class bowler like Umesh. If we can get runs against him, it will give huge confidence,” he told Sportstar.

“To score a 150 against a strong team like Mumbai feels special. It was a matter of spending a long time at the crease,” he added on his score of 150* against Mumbai.

Shreyas Gopal, a regular in the side form past few years, was expected to sit out for the most part of the season due to the presence of Krishnappa Gowtham in the side.

Gotham has regained his Midas touch and has already made it to India A, soon after making his comeback to the Karnataka side. His presence could have jeopardised Gopal’s participation but Gopal, with his performances, ensured he is the member of the team.

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In the previous season, he was also demoted to junior side, but this season, it was not the case. Gopal and Gowtham have emerged out as the mainstay for the team and with their all-round abilities, have steered the team to the semifinal.

Again, the responsibility will be on them to contribute to both the departments to see off Vidarbha in the last four.

Already, Karnataka is going as favourites in the contest, and if the team could emulate their form of the previous game, the result of the match might compute out similarly.

The semifinal contest between Karnataka and Vidarbha will be played at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata from December 17 to 21.

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