Ranji Trophy: Can Saurashtra beat Punjab without Jadeja, Unadkat and Pujara?

For the second consecutive season both teams face-off in the quarterfinals. They entered the knockouts in contrasting styles and Bengal start as favourites thanks to an all-round squad that includes the experienced skipper Manoj Tiwary and Anustup Majumdar who are looking to get their hands on the trophy. With a potent attack at disposal, they should challenge Jharkhand on every front, who come into the game on the back of a defeat to Karnataka. Jharkhand need to play out of their skin to upstage Bengal.
Saurashtra vs Punjab at SCA Stadium, Rajkot
The absence of Cheteshwar Pujara, Jaydev Unadkat and Ravindra Jadeja has made this an even contest. This has been a mixed season so far for Saurashtra who defeated Mumbai but went on to lose to Andhra and Tamil Nadu. So going into the match, they need to bring their A game against a young Punjab side, who have reached this far thanks to a combined show. None of their batsmen have had a standout season and similarly their bowlers have just about done the job. Yet they have managed to get this far. Conditions at Rajkot will test the young batting line up led Abhishek Sharma.
Karnataka vs Uttarakhand at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
At the outset it looks a lop-sided contest with the hosts expected to make the semi-finals. Apart from having a wealth of experience in their ranks, Karnataka know how to close out crucial moments and have won titles in the past. With a potent attack that can pick 20 wickets, they are a force to reckon with in any condition and even more so at home. For Uttarakhand, this is a massive test. Starting the season with wins against Nagaland, Odisha and Himachal Pradesh gave them a head-start and gaining first- innings lead against Uttar Pradesh, Baroda and Haryana put them into the quarters.
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