Hyderabad host Punjab in top-of-table Ranji clash without Siraj and Gill
Hyderabad face Punjab at Gymkhana on Monday in a Group B summit clash after losing Siraj and Gill to national duty.
Hyderabad will take on Punjab in a Group B Ranji Trophy match at Gymkhana from Monday without Mohammed Siraj and Shubman Gill, who have joined India's tour of New Zealand. Hyderabad have replaced Siraj with Mudassar Hussain after winning their opening two matches. Punjab have brought in Anshul Chaudhary, Sukhdeep Singh Bajwa and Raghu Sharma after their seven-wicket win over Chhattisgarh.
The pitch is expected to assist spinners, and Hyderabad will rely on Tanay Thyagarajan, who leads the season's wicket charts with 20 scalps and a strike rate of 17.5. Punjab coach Amit Uniyal said his side is comfortable playing on turning tracks and believes every match should produce a result.
Punjab have scored five centuries already this season, while Hyderabad will look to build on K Himateja's match-winning knock against Andhra. Hyderabad now have an extra home fixture against Chhattisgarh and are chasing a first knockout appearance in a decade.
CricHubb Take
The absence of two frontline players gives Hyderabad a chance to prove their domestic depth, and success here could shape how selectors view their bench strength for future tours.