Buchi Babu: Spinners, young pacers in focus

LEFT-ARM spinners DT Chandrasekar and M Siddharth will be the cynosure of all eyes as the All-India Buchi Babu tournament begins in Chennai on Monday.

- ASHOK VENUGOPAL @ Chennai

From Tamil Nadu's perspective, this is virtually the selection trials for the Ranji Trophy team. With S Ajith Ram ruled out for this season due to an injury he suffered during the TNPL, the choice for the second spinner after R Sai Kishore could be between DT Chandrasekar and M Siddharth. But if the selectors favour youth instead of an experienced hand, then the Trichy-based off-spinner M Hemchudesan will come into the picture. Hemchudesan has been terrific at the U-19 level, picking up 47 wickets to help Tamil Nadu win the Cooch Behar trophy after 33 years. He has also been among wickets in the TNCA Senior Division league.

In the Buchi Babu tournament, M Siddharth and Chandrasekar will be playing for TNCA XI while Hemchudesan will be turning out for the TNCA President's XI.