MUMBAI, Feb. 23 -- At the start of the Ranji Trophy season, few would have bet on Kerala making the final. They had grown from being South Zone's pushovers into a fighting squad, but going all the way seemed a distant dream.
Like most weaker teams, their best bet was in limited-overs where upsets are frequent because one good session or innings can change the game. Red-ball cricket is a hard grind. All aspects of your game are tested over four or five days. All-round cricket for a sustained period is a prerequisite.
Kerala, however, have beaten the odds to seal their first final in the national championship. They will face Vidarbha in Nagpur from Wednesday.
"I also underestimated. I thought Kerala will become champions in the white-ball ...