Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh are set for a high-stakes clash as they battle for the final quarter-final spot from Elite Group B during their final Ranji Trophy league game, starting in Ahmedabad on Thursday.
Group B leaders Vidarbha (34 points) have already sealed their place in the knockouts after a stunning 221-run comeback win against Rajasthan in the previous round.
Now, all eyes are on Gujarat (26 points) and Himachal Pradesh (21 points). They are the two teams that remain in contention to join Vidarbha in the last eight.
Meanwhile, Hyderabad (16 points), Rajasthan (16), Uttarakhand (10), Andhra (7), and Puducherry (3) are out of the reckoning.
Himachal Pradesh have struggled with consistency all season and must regroup after a crushing innings-and-43-run defeat to lowly-placed Hyderabad, which dented their knockout hopes. The Rishi Dhawan-led side paid the price for an overtly aggressive approach.
Left-handed batter Ankit Kalsi, who struck an unbeaten double century earlier in the season, has been Himachal's standout performer with 549
Gujarat, on the other hand, will enter the match brimming with confidence after a dominant innings-and-28-run victory over Uttarakhand.
Left-arm spinner Siddharth Desai was their star performer against Uttarakhand, registering sensational figures of 9/36 -- the best by any Gujarat player in first-class cricket.
He was well-supported by Rinkesh Vaghela (3/63) and Vishal Jayswal (3/71), and the team will be banking on a similar effort, especially in the absence of spinner Ravi Bishnoi, who remains on national duty for the T20I series against England.
Meanwhile, two-time champions Vidarbha have already locked their quarter-final berth and will advance as the top-ranked team from Group B, regardless of the final league-round results. They take on Hyderabad in Nagpur in their final league engagement.
Middle-order batter Yash Rathod (583 runs) and skipper Akshay Wadkar (517) have been Vidarbha's key contributors with the bat, while 22-year-old all-rounder Harsh Dubey has impressed with the ball.
Dubey is the leading wicket-taker this season, having claimed 47 scalps at an outstanding average of 14.55.
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