KOLKATA: The weather seems to be following Bengal this Ranji season. After missing out on some points against Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh due to poor light conditions, Bengal got their campaign back on track with maximum points against Assam in the last match. But just when an upbeat Manoj Tiwary-led side got ready for their marquee clash against Mumbai at the Eden Garden here from Friday, the sky turned gloomy forcing both sides to call off their practice session on Thursday.
The Elite Group 'B' table also suddenly opened up with Mumbai, still on top with three successive wins, losing their last game against Uttar Pradesh and thus this game now turns out to be vital for both sides.
But the possibility of another truncated match now looms large as the local forecast predicts this condition is likely to continue for at least one more day.
Mumbai got a boost on Thursday when National Cricket Academy (NCA) granted Prithvi Shaw clearance to participate in this match. The 24-year-old opener Shaw, who has been sidelined since last August due to a knee ligament injury, in all likelihood will replace Jay Bista, who has been inconsistent at the top.
Meanwhile 41-time Ranji champions Mumbai named India's T20I all-rounder Shivam Dube as the new vice-captain to skipper Ajinkya Rahane as Shams Mulani is doing duty for India 'A' side in the fourth unofficial Test against England Lions. However, Bengal too will be missing Abhimanyu Easwaran and Akash Deep, who are with the India 'A' side.
Hosts skipper Manoj Tiwary, however, is not worried about some big names in the rival camp. "You don't always go by names, but by their form. See Rahane hasn't scored big so far, Shaw is returning from a long injury layoff and Dhawal Kulkarni is not playing regularly," Tiwary pointed out. However, the middle-order batter, who had many great knocks against Mumbai, sees Dube as a threat as he has been most consistent so far.
Bengal are unlikely to make big changes in the playing XI with only fit-again pacer Ishan Porel set to return in place of Suman Das.
Both captains will not hesitate to put the opposition in on winning the toss as the bowlers will get assistance in these conditions.
But before that, the teams will have to wait for the ball to get rolling.
