Two-month Ranji break an opportunity and a challenge, says Tamil Nadu coach Yo Mahesh

In Chandigarh on November 6, 2026, Tamil Nadu head coach Yo Mahesh said the Ranji Trophy's two-month break to make way for white-ball tournaments in November and December presents both an opportunity and a challenge for his side. He made the remarks after Tamil Nadu's victory over Chandigarh.

"Definitely, the momentum will come down a bit. After a two-month gap, we will have to regroup and try to get the momentum again. That's where the challenge is," Yo Mahesh told The Hindu in an exclusive interaction following his team's victory over Chandigarh on Thursday.

He also outlined how the break could help the bowling group while stressing the need for game time: "We have to make sure they get to play a few matches so that they get game time. The bowlers also get a good rest and can come back a lot fresher for the second half," he said.

Yo Mahesh identified the opening partnership as an area for improvement, and noted that batters have struggled to convert starts into big scores: "The opening partnership is one hole we want to plug. We have had a couple of big hundreds from Pradosh, but we want the others also to chip in," he said.

Captain R. Sai Kishore welcomed the seamers' contribution after they took seven wickets in Chandigarh's first innings and stressed the team's balance: "We are not dependent only on spin anymore. Even the fast bowlers are stepping up. It goes to show that, as a unit, we are very strong," he said. Sai Kishore also pointed to S. Ajith Ram's maiden First Class century as a welcome contribution from the lower-order.

The Ranji Trophy will resume in January. Come January, the challenge will be to pick up from where it left off.