Their array of international batsmen, domestic circuit worthies and the experience of a hattrick of Ranji Trophy semi-finals should have made Karnataka odds-on favourites against Bengal. If it is not it is because en route the semi-final Bengal have shown the stomach for a fight, the exuberance of their young players compensating for lack of experience.

One of them is left-arm spinner Shahbaz Ahmed. Eleven first-class games old, he took 11 wickets against Punjab, six against Hyderabad, five against Kerala.

Likely to take the place of Nilkantha Das after missing the quarter-final due to injury, medium-pacer Akash Deep, 23, is another. He took 25 wickets in his debut season and has been a key component in a pace attack that bagged 74 of the 128 wickets Bengal got in nine games. Back from India A duty, Ishan Porel,21, is a third. And Mukesh Kumar, likely to be the third pacer, is 26.

Given the pace bowling arsenal at their disposal, Karnataka too should get into the swing of things. Their pacers have taken 91 of the 142 wickets this term. That number should swell because Karnataka have got the experienced Abhimanyu Mithun, left-arm seamer Prateek Jain, Ronit More and Prasidh Krishna in the squad here.

“The wicket has something for fast bowlers but you can bat well too. I am confident that however the wicket is, our fast bowlers will always do well,” said Karnataka skipper Nair.

That Padikkal and Bengal’s Manoj Tiwary are the only ones in the list of top 50 run getters this season is proof of extended batting blues for both teams. In some games, off-spinner Krishnappa Gowtham has done with the bat what Ahmed did for Bengal. Gowtham has also taken 29 wickets including 7/54 in the quarter-final against Jammu and Kashmir.

“The fact is we are here. I am okay that someone is doing what it takes,” said Lal. “Those are the signs of a champion team, you find ways to come out of situations, you find people who step up,” said Nair.Fitting Rahul into the batting order is a happy headache, said Nair. “For me to it is good that he is here. You can go to him, talk strategy.”