Vinay Kumar begins coaching journey as Karnataka begin Ranji Trophy campaign Andhra

VIJAYAWADA: Karnataka cricket and Vijayawada share a special connection, one that goes back nearly six decades. It was here that a youngster from the erstwhile Mysore team announced himself to the cricketing world. GR Vishwanath’s storied career began with a sparkling 230 on his Ranji Trophy debut against Andhra here. In the same match, another Karnataka stalwart, VS Vijay Kumar, made his maiden foray into domestic cricket.On Sunday, as Karnataka begin their Ranji Trophy campaign against Andhra, the fixture will mark a few new beginnings. For R Vinay Kumar, the state’s last captain to lead them to the Ranji Trophy title, it will be the start of his full-time coaching journey.“It feels great to start my full-time coaching journey with my home team,” Vinay told STOI on the eve of the match.There will also be a first for R Smaran, who will captain Karnataka’s senior side for the first time in the absence of Devdutt Padikkal.Vinay believes the young left-hander has the makings of a good leader.“I’ve seen Smaran captain sides in domestic tournaments. Apart from being a good leader, he is also a shrewd captain. He ticks a crucial box by knowing the players well. With Dev and Smaran, Karnataka cricket is in good hands,” said the former India pacer.Karnataka, who last won the title in the 2014-15 season, came close to ending that wait last season before surrendering meekly to Jammu and Kashmir in the final on home turf.The challenge this time is complicated by the likely absence of their young batting mainstays, Padikkal and Smaran, at various stages because of national-team commitments.The pace department, meanwhile, has taken a significant hit. Injuries have sidelined four of the frontline quicks — Prasidh Krishna, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Vidwath Kaverappa and Vidhyadhar Patil, who has been ruled out for the season. The responsibility will fall on Abhilash Shetty, M Venkatesh, Manvanth Kumar and LR Kumar to step up.Vinay, however, sees an opportunity amid the setbacks.“We will miss our main pacers in terms of their experience and skill set. That said, their absence should be taken as a blessing in disguise to see how good your bench strength is,” he said.With Padikkal away on India A duty for the series against Australia A, Karnataka will lean on the experience of KL Rahul, Karun Nair and Mayank Agarwal. Smaran, too, will be keen to build on his recent form, having scored a half-century and a hundred against J&K, while representing Rest of India in the Irani Cup. The 23-year-old, though, will be looking for greater consistency after a mixed run of performances.Andhra, led by the seasoned Ricky Bhui, will be no pushovers. They have reached the quarterfinals five times since the 2019-20 season and are coached by Gary Stead, under whom New Zealand won the World Test Championship title. With a blend of experience and young talent, the hosts will look to make home advantage count.Karnataka, though, can draw confidence from their recent record against Andhra, having won three and drawn two of their previous five encounters.With temperatures soaring in the region and the pitch dry at the stadium in Mulapadu, the contest could hinge on spinners. Leggie Shreyas Gopal will lead Karnataka’s attack, with Shikhar Shetty and Ritesh Bhatkal in the mix.Hope the city that once served as the launchpad for a career that would go on to define Indian and Karnataka cricket becomes the starting point of something special for Vinay and his boys.Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news, check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.