Tamil Nadu skipper R Sai Kishore is full of optimism at the moment. Ahead of his team's Ranji Trophy semifinal meeting against Mumbai, he is confident as he has been over the last few weeks.

After an indifferent start, Tamil Nadu have had an impressive run this season, dispatching teams in a professional manner and displaying the ability to pick up 20 wickets on a regular basis.

"We have prepared well for the Ranji semifinals. We are confident of a good show and we will go all out against Mumbai. Our boys are in a good frame of mind and the return of Washy (Washington Sundar) and B Sai Sudharsan augurs well for the team,'' said Sai Kishore, ahead of TN's clash against the 41-times champions in Mumbai. The match is set to start on Saturday.

It's that positive mindset that has propelled Sai Kishore and his troops.

"I am not afraid of losing. I always think positively and put my best foot forward.

know when we play well as a unit, rewards will certainly come," he noted. Mumbai in their own backyard is always a tough proposition. And with the return of premier batter Shreyas Iyer, their team's chances have brightened.

"I know that we have a very good team that can beat anyone on a given day when we play to our strengths. Lets not forget that we have taken 20 wickets regularly this season and our batters have been in good form," assessed Sai Kishore.

In a knock-out match, the toss is likely to play a key role. Teams prefer to bat first in order to post a big total and try to bat out the opposition. A first-innings lead could have a massive bearing on the match.