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This is an archive article published on January 4, 2005

Knockout XI

The season has ended for some of the best players of Ranji 2004-05, as their teams have been eliminated. Here’s the top XI that won&#14...

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The season has ended for some of the best players of Ranji 2004-05, as their teams have been eliminated. Here’s the top XI that won’t be there in the semis; thanks for the memories

S Vidyut (Tamil Nadu): Can play anywhere between one and 11. Has scored a Ranji century batted at number 11 and this season, opening the innings, the 23-year-old slammed 465 runs. And picked up wickets with his left-arm spinners

R Barrington (Karnataka): Ended the league phase with 601 runs. Having already played six seasons, the 24-year-old opener scored career-best 283 against MP in Bangalore

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Niraj Patel (Gujarat): Phenomenal 735 runs from six games. Part of the 2000 U-19 World Cup winning squad, he vanished for a few seasons before resurfacing in style. At 23, he’s the cornerstone of Gujarat’s stunning run this season

Shikhar Dhawan (Delhi): Probably the Best New Face of the season so far, made the most of the chance that came his way when Delhi regulars got the India call. Despite missing the first game of the season, ended Delhi’s season at the head of the aggregates with 461 runs.

Y Venugopala Rao (Andhra): The star of the first phase. Everyone was waiting to watch the batsman in action and he delivered with 585 runs. Just to earn a few bonus points, Venu (22) picked up 20 wickets with his off-breaks. How does one keep him out now?

Suresh Raina (Uttar Pradesh): Playing for the minnows has been a blessing in disguise for someone who hasn’t always found consistency. 482 runs from UP’s league assignments, with little support through an innings, proves that Raina (20) has come of age

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Thilak Naidu (Karnataka): Part of Team India’s plans till a year back, his 22 dismissals this season — plus a couple of big hits with the bat — show that he’s making a serious effort to get back into the reckoning

Sunil Joshi (Karnataka): The Senior Pro in this XI, he’s on the wrong side of 30. But that hasn’t blunted his skills with the ball, as his 31 wickets from seven games proves. Or with the bat — he completed the 3000 runs-300 wickets double this season

Rudra Pratap Singh (Uttar Pradesh): 34 scalps but, like Raina, benefitted from playing for minnows. Managed to hold his own for yet another season despite opening the bowling with seasoned Ashish Winston Zaidi

R Ramkumar (Tamil Nadu): With Bengal’s Murtaza Lodhgar the best season’s left-arm spinner but Lodhgar’s loss of form of late meant Ramkumar (23) could move ahead and finished with 32 scalps. Murali Kartik better watch out

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Ranadeb Bose (Bengal): His 34 wickets for the season from long and penetrative spells would have boosted his chances of national selection. With injuries to the country’s senior pacemen becoming routine, Bose will hope for more opportunities to display his abilities

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