Laxmi Ratan Shukla to make Bengal comeback in Round 8 of Ranji Trophy 2015-16

Kolkata: After being sidelined almost for the entire season, former captain Laxmi Ratan Shukla was today drafted into Bengal’s Ranji Trophy team for its Group A away match against Assam. Shukla has been included in place of Pankaj Chandila in the only change to their 15-member squad that defeated Odisha by 133 runs in Kalyani. Bengal will face Assam from December 1-4.  Bengal wrapped up what was meant to be a four-day Ranji Trophy 2015-16 contest in just one and a half day after they blew away Odisha for an unbelievable 37, prompting a livid visiting team to lodge a complaint about the nature of the pitch with BCCI. It was the Round 7 game. READ: Odisha bundled out for 37 vs Bengal in Ranji Trophy 2015-16 match

On the other hand, Pacer Krishna Das scalped 6 for 73 as Assam got three vital points by virtue of 102-run first innings lead against Maharashtra in a group A encounter at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune, keeping alive hopes of qualifying for the quarter-finals of the Ranji Trophy. Riding on Krishna’s efforts, Maharashtra were bowled out for 196 in their first innings in reply to Assam’s 298. Assam with 25 points are second in the points table behind Delhi, who have completed their league engagements and above Bengal by virtue of more outright wins.

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Krishna’s wickets tally for the current season has gone upto 42 and he is third in the list behind off-spinners Akshay Wakhare of Vidarbha (45 wickets) and Jalaj Saxena of MP (44 wickets). Once Maharashtra lost last three wickets for one run, Assam were ensured of three points.

Bengal Squad:

Manoj Tiwary (c), Abhimanyu Easwaran, Sayan Sekhar, Mondal, Sudip Chatterjee, Shreevats Goswami (wk), Laxmi Ratan Shukla, Pankaj Shaw, Aamir Gani, Pragyan Ojha, Ashok Dinda, Mukesh Kumar, Rohan Banerjee, Veer Pratap Singh, Anurag Tiwari and Sanipan Das.

(With inputs from PTI)