Buchi Babu 2025: Vimal, Radhakrishnan help TNCA President’s XI push Hyderabad onto backfoot

Soft hands are a textbook batting technique in the coaching manuals. TNCA President’s XI openers Vimal Khumar (54 off 147 balls) and S. Radhakrishnan (73 off 199 not out) followed it to the core to push Hyderabad on the backfoot on the second day of the Buchi Babu Invitational Tournament final at the CSK-HPC ground in Chennai on Sunday.

The pair added 127 runs to guide the host to 142 for one in response to Hyderabad’s 376, still trailing by 234 runs at stumps.

After fielding for nearly 116 overs, Khumar and Radhakrishnan were measured in their approach from the outset. They avoided chasing boundaries and instead worked the gaps to rotate strike. Their stand was built on control, with only eight boundaries struck in 329 deliveries. The association eventually ended 20 minutes before close when Khumar went for a rare aggressive backfoot punch and edged behind off Rohit Rayudu.

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For Hyderabad, it was a much-needed breakthrough after being denied on several occasions earlier in the final session. Ravi Teja, bowling with a packed off-side field, nearly had Radhakrishnan caught at cover as the left-hander’s mistimed drive fell just short. From the other end, Aniketh Reddy repeatedly challenged Khumar’s outside edge, but the opener’s soft hands ensured nothing carried to the slips.

After the opening act laid the foundation, Radhakrishnan and captain Pradosh Ranjan Paul went unbeaten, tasked with continuing on a surface beginning to wear, where multiple puffs of dust signalled turn and uneven bounce.

Earlier in the day, TNCA’s spinners, led by P. Vidyuth, wrapped up Hyderabad’s innings inside the first session. Overnight batters Varun Goud (67 off 126) and Rohit Rayudu negotiated the opening 45 minutes, but Vidyuth broke through with Goud edging behind.

He then trapped Ravi Teja lbw and had Aniketh caught at cover to finish with four for 104. Nitin Sai Yadav hit a couple of sixes and five boundaries to inflate the score before J. Hemchudeshan chipped in with two wickets to finish the innings nearly 20 minutes before Lunch.

Published on Sep 07, 2025