Lucknow: High on confidence after two victories in as many matches, Uttar Pradesh will look to maintain its winning run when it takes on Puducherry in its third Ranji Trophy fixture in Elite Group A. Persistent rain at Puducherry, however, has emerged as a major concern ahead of the contest.UP has made a strong start to the season, beating Bihar and Goa to collect 13 points from its first two matches. The side is second in Group A and will be looking for a third consecutive victory to strengthen its position early in the tournament. Puducherry, meanwhile, is still searching for its first win, having lost one match and drawn another. It sits sixth in the group with one point. The build-up has been affected by the weather. Heavy rain in Puducherry disrupted Uttar Pradesh’s preparations on Sunday, after the team had practised the previous day. With continuous showers over the past two days, conditions could play a decisive role in the match. Uttar Pradesh’s batting unit is in impressive touch. Rinku Singh has been the standout performer, scoring centuries in both matches and giving the middle order a strong presence. Captain Aryan Juyal also returned to form in the previous match against Goa with a 74, while opener Madhav Kaushik set the tone for the season with a century against Bihar in the opener. The bowling department could receive a significant boost with experienced pacer Shivam Mavi back in the squad after completing his rehabilitation from injury. Mavi joined the team during the previous match against Goa in Kanpur and is now available for selection. If picked, he could add depth and experience to the pace attack alongside Yash Dayal.Juyal said the mood in the camp was positive after back-to-back wins, adding that it had been many years since UP had won two consecutive Ranji Trophy matches. He said the team was keen to carry its momentum forward but admitted that the weather would have a major say in how the match unfolded.“It has been raining continuously in Puducherry for the last two days. We practised on Saturday, but after that there has been a lot of rain. Everything will depend on the weather and the conditions on match day,” Juyal said.UP coach Gyanendra Pandey said the team would have to assess the conditions before finalising its approach. He said the surface looked good for batting if the weather cleared, but it could assist spinners as the match progressed.“It has been raining for the last two days, so we will have to wait and see how the conditions are. If the weather remains clear, the pitch looks good for batting on the first day of the match, but it may start turning after two days. Puducherry have good spinners, so they may look to prepare a spin-friendly wicket,” Pandey said.
