Ravichandran Ashwin to miss Ranji encounter against Karnataka

The Tamil Nadu team has received a major set back ahead of their quarter-final fixture against Karnataka. Ace Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has confirmed that he will not be a part of the match. In a recent quote by a TNCA official, the news was confirmed. Tamil Nadu will lock horns with Karnataka at Vishakhapatnam on December 23 in the quarter finals.

Karnataka has been a heavy weight team in the Ranji Trophy for last few years. No wonder why the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) Chief N Srinivasan has insisted on playing Indian internationals Ravi Ashwin and Murali Vijay in the all important fixture.

TNCA Secretary Kasi Viswanathan has now confirmed that Ravichandran Ashwin will not be a part of the starting eleven for Tamil Nadu. “Ashwin informed me today that he was suffering from a sports hernia. He also said he would not be available for the match,” he quoted.

To add to the woes of the team, even opener Murali Vijay is doubtful for the match. Vijay was injured during the England’s first innings in Chennai recently. He had injured his shoulder, following which he did not even open the innings for India. Speaking about him, the TNCA secretary quoted, “After the scan results are out, we will know about Vijay’s availability. He may have to take cortisone injections for pain relief.”

Meanwhile, team Karnataka has beefed up it’s strength with the inclusion of three Indian internationals. In form batsmen Karun Nair and KL Rahul have been named in the squad. Middle-order batsman Manish Pandey will also be back in action after having missed out in the last Karnataka fixture.

The winner of the match will be through to the semi finals of the season. The other teams participating in the quarter finals are Hyderabad taking on Mumbai, Gujarat playing against Odisha and Jharkhand up against Haryana.