Kerala’s draw in the previous outing against Madhya Pradesh was down to rearguard action from the likes of Aditya Sarwate and the host will hope that things don’t come to such a pass against Bihar.
| Photo Credit: Nirmal Harindran

Kerala will look to seal a place in the knockouts when it takes on basement dwellers Bihar in their Ranji Trophy Elite Group C match at the Sports Hub here on Thursday.

Kerala, second in the group with 21 points, needs an outright win to ensure qualification for the first time in six years. Though Kerala again will not be playing at its favourite venue — the St. Xavier’s College ground — the team’s confidence is high after a morale boosting draw against Madhya Pradesh.

Against Madhya Pradesh, the pitch threw up a lot of challenges for Kerala’s batters. The top-order collapses in both innings were worrying, but stodgy lower-order batting saved the match for the host.

However, this match will be played on a different surface, which is expected to aid the slower bowlers more. Kerala will miss Baba Aparajith, who is ruled out with an injured calf.

Vishnu Vinod, who missed the last match due to viral infection, is available for selection. Two under-23 players — batter Varun Nayanar and all-rounder Eden Apple Tom — have been added to the squad.

“We will go all out for a win. Having said that, we cannot take Bihar for granted, and we will have to be at our best. There is scope for improvement in both batting and bowling. I believe we have players suited for all conditions. We will decide on the playing XI after assessing the conditions tomorrow,” said Kerala captain Sachin Baby.

After a heavy defeat against Uttar Pradesh in its last match, Bihar will hope to end its season on a positive note. The Veer Pratap Singh-led side has lost five matches — four by an innings — and has conceded 600 runs twice this season.

“We are definitely better than what the results suggest. We have nothing to lose, and we will fight hard and make it difficult for the host. Our aim is to end the season on a high,’’ said Veer Pratap.