Injured Neesham out of final T20

New Zealand allrounder James Neesham has been ruled out of the second T20 against Sri Lanka to be held on November 21 in Pallekele. The injury that ruled him out was a result of a sprain he sustained on the little finger of his left hand in the third ODI in Dambulla.

Neesham had injured the finger while fielding a return hit by Nuwan Kulasekara off his own bowling. The following day, an x-ray revealed no fracture to the bone, but a subsequent ultrasound showed there was moderate damage to the tendon. If the first T20 had gone ahead, without rain intervening, then Neesham would not have played in it either, as he had been ruled out of both T20 matches.

Paul Close, the New Zealand physiotherapist, believed Neesham would need at least a month to recover. "It's important we allow Jimmy's finger sufficient time to heal in order to achieve a full recovery. We expect Jimmy to be back playing again in around four to six weeks."

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RCA poll glitch stalls Modi comeback

Lalit Modi's plan of returning as a cricket administrator in India, via the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) elections, has been put on hold because of confusion over the election dates. The association is split into two factions, each of which has announced an election date, and the dispute over who controls the RCA is now being contested in various courts across Rajasthan.

Modi had been banned for life by the BCCI from all cricket matters in India but the ban was stayed by the Rajasthan High Court in October, following which he announced his intention to run for the RCA president's post. His appeal before the court exploited a technicality - since the RCA is governed by the Rajasthan Sports Act, the BCCI ban cannot be applied to him - and the court agreed with his contention.

The incumbent, CP Joshi, then advanced the election date from December 7 to November 23 while the opposing faction announced it would hold the election on November 24. Those dates, however, are now a matter for the courts to decide.

Modi said his decision to make a comeback - he became the RCA president in 2005 - was because of the way Joshi had ignored cricket in Rajasthan. "Cricket has taken a beating in Rajasthan. My opponent has not done anything for the game. I was hoping as a federal minister he [Joshi] would have done a lot but I am disappointed. We had worked very, very hard and it is about time we start getting our act together," Modi told ESPNcricinfo from London.

He said he'd been in touch with various district associations within Rajasthan and was expecting healthy support on the elections. "I have good support from various associations and we are looking forward to the elections on November 23 and 24."

Modi's ally in the current campaign is Sanjay Dixit, a senior bureaucrat who had helped Joshi defeat him in a bitterly fought RCA election in 2009. Dixit, who was elected RCA secretary, was a vocal critic of Modi's autocratic style of functioning but he and Joshi too fell out. Dixit was then replaced by KK Sharma as the officiating secretary at RCA.

On Monday, Dixit issued a press release pointing out to an order passed by the RCA election officer that stated that he had returned to function as the secretary while deciding to "divest KK Sharma of all functions with effect from October 28". Dixit himself announced the elections on November 24.

Asked why he had decided to join hands with Dixit, Modi said both men were on the same page as far as cricket was concerned. "Sanjay and I were together as far as cricket is concerned. Then we had differences on certain issues. But he is a strong cricket administrator without doubt, which we had seen when I had left and he came in briefly at RCA. But he had a difference of opinion with Joshi and he was disappointed by the non-performance of the RCA," Modi said.

Modi and Dixit might be positive about their alliance but there is no clarity and certainty about the poll dates. The biggest hurdle surrounds the legitimacy of the list of candidates and voters. There are 33 voters, one from each of the affiliated district units of RCA. Even though both Joshi and Modi are in both lists, their alleged attempt to push their own supporters into the final lists has only worsened the situation.

"What most of the voters have been demanding is a free and fair election and I am ready for that," Dixit said. "But the other party is not agreeing to, which has caused confusion. The voter list is being changed by them to suit themselves and it has resulted in multiple litigations. In a field of 33, if you change seven voters, it is as good as sealing the fate of the election."

The Sharma faction's response was similar as it blamed the Modi-Dixit combine for creating the mess.

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Batsmen set for easier ride

It does not have the cult following of the English county circuit or the scale and speed of the Indian system but South Africa's first-class competition is a competitive breeding ground that continues to supply the No. 1 Test team with players ready to make the step up.

Last summer was a bowler's tournament. The top three wicket-takers claimed 134 scalps between them, the most in the last four seasons, while the top run-scorer made only 776 runs. South Africa's stock of seamers rose with Kyle Abbott making a Test debut, Wayne Parnell finding form and the likes of Beuran Hendricks and Ayabulela Gqamane coming to the fore.

Naturally, that left South Africa a little short on batsmen, particularly in the top order. The playing field is expected to even out this season. With the competition starting later in the year, when pitches have calmed down a touch, it should provide the perfect contest.

Cobras

The defending champions have already enjoyed a good start to the season, having shared the one-day cup with Titans. They are led by the experienced Justin Ontong, who is now in his 17th season, and have the likes of Justin Kemp and Andrew Puttick to mentor the younger players. With the frequency at which their players graduate to the national team, this will again be a tournament to blood a fresh crop.

Watch out for
An exciting selection of players in all departments has given Cobras some interesting options this season. The focus will be on batsmen Yaseen Vallie, quick bowler Lizaad Williams and offspinner Dane Piedt who will all look to secure regular places. Stiaan van Zyl, second on the run-charts last year, will hope to use this summer to push for national selection.

Lions

The Johannesburg-based team almost caught Cobras last summer but were too far behind to leapfrog them. They've struggled with a host of injuries at the start of this season and with some of their players on national duty, their depth has been under scrutiny. Having worked hard to clamber their way out of mediocrity last season, the Lions are unlikely to throw that away easily.

Watch out for
Imran Tahir was rehabilitated at Lions after his Adelaide nightmare and has become a feature in all three formats for South Africa. Lonwabo Tsotsobe will hope for the same for himself. The loss of his Test place coincided with the rise of Vernon Philander but Tsotsobe has intentions to get it back and hopes to show that this summer. Quinton de Kock will be hopeful of something similar. Now a firm fixture in South Africa's limited-overs team, the young wicket-keeper batsman will look to hone his longer form game and show he is capable as a Test player as well.

Dolphins

Lance Klusener's maiden season in charge in 2012-13 was about turning Dolphins into a competitive unit again. They finished in third place. In his follow-up summer, Klusener wants to win something. Dolphins missed out on a place in the one-day cup final after being the form team of the competition and will want to make amends. They are under a new captain in Morne van Wyk and seem to be responding well to his style.

Watch out for
Dolphins are the only team with an overseas professional playing in all formats and Graham Onions will be the focus of their campaign. He was instrumental in Durham's victory in the County championship where he took 70 wickets at 18.45, numbers not good enough to earn an Ashes place but numbers Dolphins would love replicated. His influence on Kyle Abbott will also be important as Abbott looks to earn himself more Tests for South Africa.

Warriors

A shift in focus last season saw Warriors place more emphasis on the first-class format. They finished fourth, winning four games and losing four - with two drawn - which may not seem very fruitful but there were positives. They totalled 100 points in the competition, which Rusty Theron revealed was a first for them, "in a long time". Their bowlers were their strength but they are still in search of batsmen with the temperament to help them total over 400.

Watch out for
Ashwell Prince has a reputation for grinding it out and will have to serve as an example to the likes of Colin Ingram. Ryan Bailey's inclusion from the Knights should also bolster their batting. Parnell, who had a good season with bat and ball last summer, will try to use the campaign to show his Test worthiness while bowling talent in Gqamane, Theron and Simon Harmer will all be on the national selectors' radar.

Knights

Bloemfontein is known for being hot and dry but the Knights 2012-13 first-class competition was ruined by weather. Their home town was not to blame as all three of their abandoned matches were away from home. A lack of competitive edge saw them draw three others and finish with only one win. Having done well in seasons past piling on big totals rather than going for wins, they failed to adjust to the new allocation of points which rewards teams for victories far more than it used to, when high-scoring draws could still result in a good overall position on the table. They will need to get the balance right this time.

Watch out for
Dean Elgar is an opening batsman by trade and will be eyeing that position in the Test team, especially given the lack of form of Alviro Petersen. Rilee Rossouw and Reeza Hendricks can always be counted on to notch up big runs but there will be keen interest in Diego Rosier, an under-19 player looking to make his mark.

Titans

Last season's last-place team have already come back well this summer. They shared the one-day cup and are making big strides under new coach Rob Walter. They have an impressive arsenal of players that includes former international batsman Jacques Rudolph, the aggressive Roelof van der Merwe and the all-round skill of Albie Morkel. Combined with their younger hopes, they could be seen as serious title-contenders this time.

Watch out for
A stress fracture kept Marchant de Lange out of most of last season but he is back, bowling quickly and wants another shot at Test cricket. Farhaan Behardien is another player who is also keen to work his way back into the South African side while Henry Davids, who is part of the T20 squad, will want to display his longer-form credentials.

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Australia all talk, but can they back it up?

Match facts

November 21-25, Gabba, Brisbane
Start time 1000 (0000 GMT)

Big Picture

Three months ago - is that all? - England stood on a dais at The Oval and were presented with the Ashes urn amid fading light and fireworks. Under normal circumstances, they would have had 18 months to revel in their success before defending the prize, but 2013 is anything but a typical Ashes year. The presence of the World Cup in Australia on next summer's calendar meant a clash with the Ashes, and a rescheduling was required. As a result, Michael Clarke and his men have an almost immediate chance to redeem themselves, and there is a sense of optimism among Australian fans.

It is tempting to view that enthusiasm as misplaced, given Australia's 3-0 loss in England and the yawning gap in experience between the players of both sides. Make no mistake, England should win this series, for they are more settled, more experienced and more familiar with the winning feeling. Yes, Australia were on top in several Tests in England this year, but the fact that they let those winning positions slip is not an encouraging sign. Australia have not won a Test since Michael Hussey's retirement in January, and since the start of the last Australian summer, the only team they have beaten in a Test is Sri Lanka.

That the squad chosen for the Gabba Test was described by many observers as "stable" said more about Australia's shambolic year than anything else. George Bailey is uncapped, Shane Watson is an accidental No.3 due only to his hundred there at The Oval, Mitchell Johnson was not even on the Ashes tour to England, Darren Lehmann has been coach for less than six months. Only four of the XI from last summer's opening Gabba Test against South Africa - Clarke, David Warner, Peter Siddle and Nathan Lyon - are in this team. Stability is relative.

England are not immune to changes, including the Michael Carberry-Joe Root switch, but it is worth noting that 11 members of their Ashes squad played in their 2010-11 triumph in Australia. The conditions are not so foreign to England as they once might have been. At the Gabba last time, England piled up 1 for 517 in their second innings. In the lead-up to the first Test, Warner said he felt England might fear Australia given the way they played at times in England this year. It's easy to talk the talk, now Australia must walk the walk.

Form guide

England: DWDWW
Australia: DLDLL

Players to watch

For all the talk from within the Australian camp that Mitchell Johnson could win them the series, the fact is that he wouldn't have been part of this team but for injuries to James Pattinson, Mitchell Starc and perhaps Jackson Bird. It is true that Johnson made several Indian batsmen jump with his pace and bounce during the recent ODIs and he does seem to be bowling quicker than ever, but sustaining that and maintaining accuracy through five days of a Test match is a vastly different challenge. Australia's best bet is to use Johnson in short, sharp spells.

One of the most encouraging things for England at home this year was that they won the Ashes comfortably without Alastair Cook reaching anything close to his best form. His top score in the series was 62, but his memories of the last series in Australia are exceptionally pleasing - he made three centuries including an unbeaten 235 in the opener at the Gabba. Regardless of the lack of top-class bowling England have faced in their warm-ups, his 154 against Australia A at Bellerive Oval and his 81 in Sydney last week are also positive signs.

Team news

Australia have chosen a 12-man squad, meaning their only decision is whether to include the allrounder James Faulkner as an extra bowling option. Shane Watson is expected to bowl only a small amount if at all due to his troublesome hamstring, which could encourage the selectors to take in an extra bowler, but the more likely scenario is three fast men, one spinner and George Bailey to make his debut at No.6.

Australia (probable) 1 Chris Rogers, 2 David Warner, 3 Shane Watson, 4 Michael Clarke (capt), 5 Steven Smith, 6 George Bailey, 7 Brad Haddin (wk), 8 Mitchell Johnson, 9 Peter Siddle, 10 Ryan Harris, 11 Nathan Lyon.

The main change from the England side that won at home this year is the inclusion of Michael Carberry at the top of the order to open with Alastair Cook, which was also allowed Joe Root to slide down to No.6, the position occupied by Jonny Bairstow for much of the home series. Matt Prior suffered a calf tear during the warm-up match in Hobart and remains in doubt, and Bairstow would keep wicket if Prior is ruled out. The other key decision is on which fast bowler will join James Anderson and Stuart Broad, and Chris Tremlett may have the edge over Boyd Rankin and Steven Finn.

England (probable) 1 Alastair Cook (capt), 2 Michael Carberry, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Kevin Pietersen, 5 Ian Bell, 6 Joe Root, 7 Matt Prior / Jonny Bairstow (wk), 8 Stuart Broad, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 Chris Tremlett, 11 James Anderson.

Pitch and conditions

The Gabba pitch is renowned for offering some pace and movement early, before flattening out for the batsmen, and this year should be no different. The forecast for Thursday is mostly sunny and 30C, but all four remaining days show the chance of a storm and showers. However, the drainage is so good at the Gabba that provided the covers are put on quickly, play can usually resume soon after the weather clears.

Stats and trivia

• Kevin Pietersen will become the 10th man to reach the milestone of 100 Tests for England
• Australia have not lost a Test at the Gabba since 1988-89
• This will be Ryan Harris' first Test match at his adopted home ground
• Since Richard Hadlee's famous 9 for 52 in 1985-86, the best innings figures by a visiting bowler at the Gabba were Steven Finn's 6 for 125 on the last Ashes tour, but he appears unlikely to play at the venue this time

Quotes

"Australia has a proud record at the Gabba. This is a record we want to enhance … The extra pace and bounce of the Gabba makes for exciting cricket."
Michael Clarke, Australia's captain

"We all know that despite all the hype beforehand, what happens in the lead-up is irrelevant. A lot of words are said, a lot of mind games supposedly happen, but come Thursday morning with the crowd behind them, that's when it counts."
Alastair Cook, the England captain

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New Zealand bank on familiarity with Pallekele

New Zealand acting captain Kyle Mills has banked on his side's batting form, and their experience in Pallekele ahead of New Zealand's first T20 against Sri Lanka.

New Zealand have been the most frequent international visitors to the venue, having played four ODIs and six T20s there since the stadium debuted in 2010. They have never beaten Sri Lanka in any format in Pallekele, but Mills suggested the ground held few surprises for his side, particularly after they had played here at a similar time last year.

"We have played a reasonable amount of cricket here. In the last T20 World Cup we had a few games here and quite a few ODI games as well. We know it swings around at night time. When we played Pakistan here Ross Taylor got a big hundred. We batted first got a decent score and it swung around at night. If the environmental conditions are right - if it's quite humid - it will possibly swing around again."

New Zealand's batting has rescued the team in both wins on their subcontinent trip, and Mills affirmed his batsmen's ability to transform a match in a short space of time. Nathan McCullum has been in particularly impressive form in the series, having hit 32 off 9 balls to pull off an unlikely win in Hambantota, while others in the lower middle order have also produced. New Zealand hit 204 for 5 in their last T20, in Bangladesh.

"The late order guys have been in pretty good form the whole way through. The scores we were able to manage in the series here and also in Bangladesh when we scored 200 in a T20 game and 300 in a 50-over game was really good. McCullum's been in good form the whole way through and he had a pretty good Champions league and A series in Sri Lanka. We bat pretty deep so we've got full confidence in our batting order. Hopefully the top order can score a few more runs."

Mills said that New Zealand will also use this series to tune-up ahead of the World T20 in Bangladesh. They have four scheduled T20s before the tournament - including two against West Indies - and he relished the chance to develop depth in similar conditions to those they will encounter in March.

"We have already started preparing for the World T20. You could see that over the last couple of months, with the introduction of some young players. Some of them have really stood up, so with the T20 games remaining between now and the World Cup, you see those guys come to the forefront. Our whole objective is to find a squad to try and win the tournament."

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Victoria appeal Wade suspension

Victoria will appeal the suspension of captain Matthew Wade after he was banned for one Sheffield Shield match and fined half of his match fee for pitch tampering.

Wade was reported by the umpires during last week's Shield match against Tasmania in Hobart, where he was alleged to have altered the state of the pitch while scoring 119 in his side's first innings. Wade denied the charge of unfair play and was given a hearing in front of match referee Daryl Harper, who upheld the charge.

"Cricket Victoria has this afternoon advised Cricket Austraia that it will appeal the Code of Behaviour finding that was handed down against Commonwealth Bank Bushrangers captain Matthew Wade during the team's 129-run victory against Tasmania at Blundstone Arena at the weekend," Cricket Victoria said in a statement on Tuesday. "Cricket Victoria will await further advice from Cricket Australia in respect to the appeal process."

Victoria's next match is against Western Australia in Perth starting on Friday.

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Real-time Snicko set for Ashes use

Real-time Snicko technology is expected to be used in conjunction with Hot Spot to detect edges as part of the DRS for the upcoming Ashes series. In October, it appeared that Channel Nine had cut Hot Spot from its list of tools for this summer's coverage but the network's executive producer of cricket, Brad McNamara, has confirmed that Hot Spot and Real-time Snicko will be used after a deal was reached with BBG Sports, which provides the technologies.

Cricket Australia and the ECB have both agreed to the use of the products and the ICC is expected to treat the Ashes as a trial for the new Real-time Snicko technology before determining if it will be rolled out further. Under the existing DRS, Snicko cannot be used as the process of matching the audio with the vision is too time-consuming, but the new Real-time Snicko reportedly makes the process almost instantaneous, giving the third umpire an extra tool to make his decision.

"Real-time Snicko will be part of the DRS. Both teams' boards have agreed to do it," McNamara told the Sydney Morning Herald. "We had a difficult negotiation [with BBG Sports] but thankfully we've come together. We're thrilled to have Hot Spot continue as part of the coverage.

"We're all about the best technology in the world. We feel that is amongst it and are looking forward to adding to that with the Real-time Snicko, which we think will add to the viewers' experience and also hopefully help in the decision-making process for umpires. It will change the DRS. Hopefully you won't get the mistakes."

Hot Spot was particularly controversial during this year's Ashes in England, when it appeared not to detect a number of thin edges and the TV umpires at times used evidence from stump microphones instead. Australia's captain Michael Clarke wrote in his newly-released book The Ashes Diary that he would prefer Hot Spot not be used until it was more reliable.

"My opinion is that if the technology isn't perfect, it shouldn't be used at all," Clarke wrote. "The inventor and owner of Hot Spot [Warren Brennan] came out and admitted it doesn't pick up all nicks. Ok, that's fine: Hot Spot should not be used until it is more reliable. Once the technology has been tested and is shown to be correct, then the ICC should rule that every team has to use it. We should have the same rule for everyone."

The other major change to the DRS for this summer's Ashes will be the introduction of extra reviews, after the ICC announced it would trial a system of topping up a team's reviews to two after 80 overs in an innings. Irrespective of whether a team has used none, one or both of its reviews, its available review tally will be set to two after the 80-over mark.

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'Sri Lanka on track for World T20' - Ford

Having been bridesmaids in two of the last three World Twenty20s, Sri Lanka have already set their sights on the next edition in Bangladesh in March. Coach Graham Ford will no longer be with the team when that tournament arrives, but he said Sri Lanka have begun down the path to success, ahead of the first Twenty20 against New Zealand. The match in Pallekele is the first of six scheduled T20s for Sri Lanka before the world tournament.

"As far as the T20 World Cup goes, the team has got a fantastic chance," Ford said. "They have played good T20 cricket for a period of time now, and are drawn in a favourable group. Plus the conditions should suit our style of cricket and the real bonus is that we'll have a series in Bangladesh just prior to the world tournament. There's lots to be positive about and I'm really looking forward to watching from a distance and seeing the boys lift the cup."

Specialised training sessions intended to spur innovative batting have been introduced during Ford's tenure, and they have begun to pay dividends with several batsmen having widened their stroke repertoire. Ford said the benefits from these sessions would be most keenly felt in the shortest format, where Sri Lanka have been the top-ranked side since last September.

"It is important to play with freedom and be inventive," Ford said. "Tillakaratne Dilshan was the leading example initially, of being able to play and be inventive - especially in T20 cricket. As we progressed, we realised that if we could have more guys able to hit the ball in awkward areas, it would make us a more powerful unit. If you've only got one or two guys who can improvise, if they don't have a good day we are going to come second on the day. It is also about being confident about improvisation. It's no good suddenly trying to play an invented shot which you have never practiced."

Sri Lanka's selectors have picked five spin-bowling options in the 15-man T20 squad, and Ford said this too was a strategy devised with the World T20 in mind. In addition to frontline spinners Sachithra Senanayake and Ajantha Mendis, spin-bowling allrounders Ramith Rambukwella and Seekkuge Prasanna have been named in the squad. Dilshan's offspin has also been increasingly used in internationals over the past year.

"The selectors have had a look ahead and they are thinking about possible conditions in Bangladesh, where preparing spinners is important. The spinners are all quite unique. A couple of them are spinning allrounders, and in T20 cricket, allrounders are important. We've got a number of seamer allrounders, but maybe down the line, conditions are better suited to spin allrounders. They are just having a look at covering the options at the moment."

Ford also lauded the quality of the cricket produced by New Zealand's visiting side, despite the absence of several key players. The visitors drew the ODI series 1-1.

"I am not all surprised (the way) New Zealand have performed. There were a few comments about them not having a full-strength side, but I am very much aware that their cricketing depth has increased massively over the last couple of years. They played an under-strength team in South Africa in ODI cricket, and they beat South Africa, which doesn't happen that often. They also beat England in an ODI series in England. They are a dangerous team and they've got some very good one-day and T20 players."

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Netherlands cruise to win after Myburgh fifty

Netherlands 145 for 2 (Myburgh 78*) beat Bermuda (Tucker 51, Malik 2-15)
Scorecard

Opener Stephan Myburgh's rapid half-century steered Netherlands to an emphatic eight-wicket win over Bermuda in Dubai.

Bermuda endured an early wicket and a middle-order stumble but captain Janeiro Tucker blitzed 51 off 25 balls, seven fours and two sixes in his counterattack that took the total to 144. Seamer Ahsan Malik was the pick of the bowlers with 2 for 15. The chase proved rather straightforward though, as the Netherlands openers raced to 108 in the 12th over. Myburgh struck seven fours and three sixes in his unbeaten 53-ball 78 which made sure medium-pacer Jacobi Robinson striking in successive overs only slowed Netherlands' progress to victory.

Afghanistan 72 for 4 (Nabi 36*) beat Papua New Guinea 167 for 6 (Ura 56) by six wickets (D/L method)
Scorecard

In a rain-affected match in Sharjah, Afghanistan edged out Papua New Guinea by six wickets, registering their second win of the competition. Afghanistan were given a revised target of 69 from seven overs after heavy rains lashed the ground. Mohammad Nabi hit an unbeaten 36 off 22 balls to take Afghanistan home off the last ball. PNG had won the toss and scored 167, with Tony Ura producing another strong performance with the bat. Apart from Samiullah Shenwari, none of the Afghanistan bowlers were able to stop the flow of runs. Ura hit 56 after scoring a century in his previous match, but it went in vain.

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Sachin Chaudhari called for suspect action

Sachin Chaudhari, the Maharashtra fast bowler, has been called for an illegal action during a Ranji Trophy match against Hyderabad. This means Chaudhari will be unable to feature in a competitive fixture till his action is cleared by the BCCI.

Umpires Nitin Pandit and Virender Sharma called Chaudhari twice on the penultimate day of the match, which ended in a dull draw at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Uppal. When Chaudhari was called for the third time in the post-lunch session on the final day, he was barred from bowling further in the match.

Ratnakar Shetty, BCCI's general manager - cricket operations, said Chaudhari will now have to work at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore and get his action cleared by an expert three-member committee.

"When a bowler is called during a match by the on-field umpires, he cannot play for his team till his corrected action is approved," Shetty told ESPNcricinfo. "The video footage of the match (when he is called) is sent to the three-member committee and it recommends the corrections in his action and then inspects him again after he undergoes the corrective measures."

The three-member expert committee to look into suspect bowling actions comprises former India captain and international umpire S Venkataraghavan, former international umpire AV Jayaprakash and former India fast bowler and current ICC match referee Javagal Srinath.

The Hyderabad match was 27-year-old Chaudhari's third first-class game, and he had begun the season promisingly, with a 11-wicket match-haul against Tripura that helped Maharashtra open their Ranji Trophy campaign with a nine-wicket win. He is now unlikely to feature in the ongoing domestic season. It is a blow for Maharashtra, who have been hoping to bounce back strongly after being relegated to the bottom-most rung of Ranji Trophy last season.

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