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New-look Diamonds team

Bangalore: Seeking to improve on its seventh-place finish in last year's edition, Shamanur Davangere Diamonds selected a much-changed side for the second season of the Mantri Karnataka Premier League, commencing here later this week.

The 21-member squad features 12 new players, something the captain, Sunil Joshi, hoped would help turn his team's fortunes around. “Though there were some good performances in KPL-I, the team lacked consistency,” he said, speaking at a brief function at a hotel in the city. “Learning from last year's experience we have strengthened our batting line-up and will try to bat through 20 overs.”

Familiar faces in the side include Karnataka wicket-keeper C.M. Gautam, India under-19 batsman Mayank Agarwal and veteran Yere Goud. Part of the new crop are players — Bharath Kumar, Devaraj Koti, and Dominic Fernandez.

U.B. Venkatesh, co-owner of the franchise, said he expected a markedly improved performance. “We have been practising for three months now at the NRA grounds,” he said. “We have put our faith in Joshi and the team.”

Also introduced at the ceremony were the team's fielding and assistant coaches, and analysts. The team had particularly focused on improving its fielding, as slackness in the area cost it a few matches last year. Diamonds also launched a new kit for the competition.

“We will try and live up to all the expectations,” Joshi concluded. — Sports Reporter

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