Ranji Trophy Round-Up: Venkatesh Iyer, Patidar shine for MP; Shankar’s heroics propel TN

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 25 (IANS) Former winner Madhya Pradesh asserted their dominance over Kerala in their Ranji Trophy Elite Group C clash at the Greenfield International Stadium, setting the hosts a daunting target of 363 to win the match. Rajat Patidar and Venkatesh Iyer were the stars of the day, playing contrasting but equally impactful innings to steer their team to a commanding position.

Resuming the day with their skipper Shubham Sharma at the crease, Madhya Pradesh suffered an early blow when Shubham was bowled by Basil NP soon after completing his half-century. However, Patidar stepped in to steady the innings with an elegant knock. His drives and punches through the cover region were a treat to watch, with six of his 11 boundaries coming from that area.

Patidar looked set for a well-deserved century but fell short by eight runs, nicking a fuller delivery from Basil to the slip cordon. Basil was Kerala’s standout bowler, consistently troubling the batters and finishing with a four-wicket haul.

After lunch, Kerala’s spinners Jalaj Saxena and Aditya Sarwate picked up wickets to slow Madhya Pradesh’s momentum. But the final session saw a spectacular counterattack from Venkatesh Iyer. Known for his power-hitting, Iyer went after Saxena, smashing four sixes in a single over. He even shattered a dressing room window with a towering six off MD Nidheesh. Iyer’s onslaught ensured Madhya Pradesh declared at 369/8, leaving Kerala with more than three sessions to chase 363. At stumps, Kerala were 28 for 1, with Rohan Kunnummal and Akshay Chandran starting well before the latter fell to Kumar Kartikeya Singh on the last ball of the day.

Vijay Shankar’s ton propels TN

All-rounder Vijay Shankar delivered a masterclass with an unbeaten 150 as Tamil Nadu closed in on an outright win against Chandigarh in their Elite Group D encounter in Salem. Shankar’s knock, along with Narayan Jagadeesan’s 89, helped Tamil Nadu recover from a precarious position and set a mammoth target of 403.

Resuming at 27/2, Tamil Nadu lost Ajith Ram (7) and Baba Indrajith (3) cheaply. Shankar then joined Jagadeesan, forging a 152-run partnership to stabilise the innings.

Shankar’s knock featured 12 fours and five sixes, showcasing a mix of patience and aggression. Jagadeesan fell short of a century, but his contribution was invaluable in setting up Tamil Nadu’s declaration at 305/5. Chasing 403, Chandigarh were reduced to 113 for 5 at stumps. Skipper Manan Vohra was battling on 47, while Vishu Kashyap (4) gave him company. Tamil Nadu’s bowlers, led by Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore and S Ajith Ram, dismantled the top order. Chandigarh still needs 290 runs on the final day to pull off an unlikely victory.

Chhattisgarh take slim lead vs Jharkhand

In Jamshedpur, Chhattisgarh managed to take a 59-run lead against Jharkhand by stumps on Day 3, reaching 205/4 in their second innings. Anuj Tiwary (66) and Ashutosh Singh (64) were the chief contributors with the bat.

Jharkhand resumed their innings at 304/4 and were bowled out for 376, gaining a 146-run lead. Sumit Ruikar was the pick of the bowlers for Chhattisgarh, claiming 4-87. In response, Chhattisgarh started cautiously but gained momentum through the fifties from Tiwary and Ashutosh Singh. At stumps, Sanjeet Desai (23) and Gagandeep Singh (0) were at the crease, looking to extend the lead on the final day.

Ghadigaonkar’s century keeps Assam in the hunt

Assam staged a fightback against Railways, reaching 175 for 4 at stumps on Day 3, trailing by 75 runs. Sumit Ghadigaonkar’s unbeaten century was the highlight of the day. Railways added just 52 runs to their overnight score of 198/5 before being bowled out for 250. Upendra Yadav completed a gritty century, but the rest of the lineup failed to capitalize. Assam’s bowlers shared the spoils, keeping Railways in check.

In reply, Ghadigaonkar anchored the innings with an unbeaten 100, while Sibsankar Roy chipped in with a half-century. Swarupam Puryayastha (15*) was at the crease with Ghadigaonkar at stumps, as Assam aims to take a vital first-innings lead on the final day.

–IANS

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