An extra pacer 'certainly an option', says Tamil Nadu coach Yo Mahesh

On Sunday in Chennai, Tamil Nadu head coach Yo Mahesh said an extra pacer was “certainly an option” ahead of his side’s Ranji Trophy Elite Group-D third-round match against Railways at the MAC Stadium and added he wants his players to “take maximum points at home” after a recent win.

Tamil Nadu arrive at the fixture fresh off a comprehensive victory over Uttarakhand and are aiming to make it two wins in a row at the MAC Stadium, but Yo Mahesh said preparations have been disrupted by weather. “The rain played its part, and we weren’t able to practice as much as we would have liked. Even we haven’t seen the pitch yet… it’s still under covers,” he said on the eve of the third-round match.

When questioned about selection and tactics — whether to include an extra seamer or ask batters to score more quickly to force a result — Yo Mahesh outlined the parameters behind any change. “An extra pacer is certainly an option, but we need to assess our overall balance and check the weather forecast. In cricket, there’s a famous saying, ‘condition is King, and you cannot beat the King’. That said, I’m optimistic we’ll get a full match, perhaps with a minor delay similar to the last game,” he said.

The coach also addressed form and team management at the top of the order after opener R. Vimal Khumar was dismissed for a duck in the previous encounter. “We’ve given him a lot of freedom and space. For a player like Vimal, that’s crucial because he’s an asset to the squad. It was unfortunate that he missed the first match, as an India player like Sai Sudharsan was available”.

Yo Mahesh’s comments came as the side finalised plans while monitoring the weather and pitch; he stressed selection would depend on balancing the attack and the forecast. The team’s immediate objective remains to secure maximum points at home in the Ranji Trophy Elite Group-D contest against Railways.

Tamil Nadu face Railways in the third-round Ranji Trophy Elite Group-D match at the MAC Stadium, with the fixture set to follow the weather-affected preparations described by Yo Mahesh.