Having lost the previous match against Gujarat by a whisker in the Elite Group C Ranji Trophy played at Ahmedabad, Karnataka will be looking for a comeback in the home ground against Goa, which has not had a great start in the current season.

The SDNR Wadiyar Stadium in Manasagangothri will be hosting the 4-day Ranji Trophy match between the eight-time champions Karnataka and Goa starting tomorrow (Jan.19).

Karnataka is currently placed 3rd in Group C with 6 points in Elite Division while Goa, having scored 3 points from 2 matches, is placed 5th in the points table. Karnataka had a dream start to the season securing a comfortable 7-wicket win against Punjab. However, the shocking defeat against Gujarat by a margin of six runs could have brought down the morale of the team.

Chasing a second inning target of 109, Karnataka, who were batting at 50 for no loss, tumbled like house of cards ending up in the losing side.

For Karnataka, seamer Vasuki Koushik has been in prime form picking up 14 wickets in the two matches played so far. While Devdutt Padikkal and Manish Pandey scored centuries in first innings of their match against Punjab, skipper Mayank Agarwal scored 109 against Gujarat.

Meanwhile for Goa, the start has not been a favourable one. Having lost to Tripura in the inaugural match by a margin of 237 runs and a draw against Chandigarh, Goa will look to upset the hosts in their home turf. 

Krishnamurthy Siddarath scored 151 against Tripura in the second innings while he scored 77 against Chandigarh in the first innings. Suyash Prabhudesai scored a thumping 197 against Chandigarh in the first innings, followed by Deepraj Gaonkar’s 117 and Arjun Tendulkar’s 70 in the same innings while skipper Darshan Misal scalped a five-wicket-haul. 

Normally, the wicket in SDNR Wadiyar Stadium helps the fast bowlers in the initial stage of match and later turns out to be a batter’s paradise.

The team winning the toss is expected to bowl first to capitalise on the initial conditions. While the spectators will get to watch some of the best modern cricketers from Karnataka like Mayank Agarwal, Manish Pandey, Devdutt Paddikal and local lad Nikin Jose in action, they will also have a chance to get a glimpse of Arjun Tendulkar in action for Goa.

The four-day match begins at 9.30 am on Jan. 19 and entry is free for the spectators.

Ranji matches at SDNRW Stadium

1st December 2006         :               Karnataka Vs Haryana

1st December 2007         :               Karnataka Vs Rajasthan

16th November 2008      :               Karnataka Vs Andhra

17th November 2009      :               Karnataka Vs Bengal

24th December 2009      :               Karnataka Vs Punjab

11th January 2010            :               Karnataka Vs Mumbai

8th December 2010         :               Karnataka Vs Baroda

15th December 2012      :               Karnataka Vs Vidarbha

7th November 2013        :               Karnataka Vs Jharkhand

7th November 2015        :               Karnataka Vs Odisha

5th November 2016        :               Mumbai Vs Railways      

13th November 2016      :               Mumbai Vs Uttar Pradesh

14th October 2017           :               Karnataka Vs Assam

28th November 2018      :               Karnataka Vs Maharashtra