State units turn to Buchi Babu for crucial red-ball tune up
For teams seeking a head start, the timing is crucial. With the Duleep Trophy starting on August 28, leading players will soon be unavailable for zonal duty.
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CHENNAI: With two months still left for the Ranji Trophy, the All India Buchi Babu Invitational tournament, beginning in Chennai on Monday and running till September 9, will again serve as the red-ball appetiser that state units crave.
For teams seeking a head start, the timing is crucial. With the Duleep Trophy starting on August 28, leading players will soon be unavailable for zonal duty. The Buchi Babu, revived in 2023 after a 12-year hiatus, offers an ideal platform to rediscover long-format rhythm.
“It’s a very historic tournament, which we won in 2011. Elsewhere in India, there are no quality three or four-day tournaments like this,” said former Maharashtra pacer and now bowling coach Samad Fallah. “It helps prepare for spinning pitches, test our bench strength, and sort combinations for the Ranji season.”
Bengal head coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla echoed the sentiment. “We are here after six or seven years with a new team. Red-ball cricket makes you a cricketer, so preparation is vital. In long-form cricket you face reverse swing, googlies, leg-spin, off-spin – all the variations that make it magical.”
The tournament, first held in 1909/10 and named after Mothavarapu Venkata Mahipathi Naidu, better known as Buchi Babu Naidu, was removed from the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association calendar in 2017 to accommodate the TNPL. Since its revival, it has regained stature, drawing established stars and fringe India hopefuls alike.
This year’s line-up features Ruturaj Gaikwad, new Maharashtra signing Prithvi Shaw, Sarfaraz and Musheer Khan, Vijay Shankar, Shahrukh Khan, Umran Malik, Abdul Samad, and Prabhsimran Singh. Fallah said the presence of Gaikwad and Shaw has lifted morale: “It motivates the youngsters to see senior players putting in the effort. Ruturaj always helps others, and Prithvi has settled in quickly.”
Fourteen state units will compete along with two TNCA teams – President’s XI and TNCA XI. Prize money is modest (Rs 3 lakh for winners, Rs 2 lakh for runners-up), but preparation is the real incentive.
Fallah also underlined the demanding Chennai conditions. “It’s like manufacturing a tyre at 400 degrees so it can withstand 40. The heat and intensity here test fitness, concentration, and mentality – perfect preparation for the season.”
