The sixth round of the Ranji Trophy unfolded with an air of anticipation, but the stage reserved for Indian cricket’s biggest stars turned into a gallery of missed opportunities. Names like Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, and Rishabh Pant, fresh from their exploits in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, took centre stage but failed to make an impact with the bat. Amidst the star-studded stumbles, Ravindra Jadeja stood out, showcasing his all-round prowess. The wily left-armer spun a web to claim a five-wicket haul, and his brisk 36-ball 38 added valuable runs to his team’s tally, proving once again why he remains one of the most dependable players in the longest version of the game.
While the spotlight on marquee players dimmed, the unsung heroes of the domestic stage seized their moment. Siddharth Desai, Khaleel Ahmed, Andre Siddarth, Vasuki Koushik, and Umar Nazir delivered remarkable performances. It was largely a bowler’s day out in the Ranji arena.
Mumbai vs Jammu and Kashmir
All eyes were on Rohit as he returned to Ranji cricket after a decade, but his comeback was far from memorable. The Indian Test skipper fell for just 3, miscuing a leading edge off Umar Nazir to mid-off. His opening partner, Yashasvi Jaiswal, endured a similar fate, managing only 4 runs off 8 balls. It was a dream morning for J&K’s bowlers, who exploited the early nip to skittle a star-studded Mumbai lineup for a mere 120. Shardul Thakur fought back with a gritty half-century, but Umar and Yudhvir Singh claimed four wickets each to dominate the innings. Mumbai, however, responded strongly with the ball, reducing J&K to 174/7 by stumps. J&K lead by a slender 54 runs with their lower order under pressure.
Saurashtra vs Delhi
Delhi’s batting woes continued as they were bowled out for 188 on Day 1. Captain Ayush Badoni top-scored with a composed 60, but Pant’s return to Ranji cricket proved disappointing as he managed just 1 run off 10 balls while batting at No. 5. Ravindra Jadeja shone for Saurashtra, grabbing his 18th five-wicket haul in the Ranji Trophy and reaching the milestone of 200 wickets in the competition. Dharmendrasinh Jadeja chipped in with three scalps. In reply, Saurashtra ended the day at 163/5, trailing by 25 runs, with the game delicately poised.
Punjab vs Karnataka
Karnataka’s decision to bowl first paid off handsomely as Shubman Gill-led Punjab was blown away for just 55, their second-lowest total in Ranji Trophy history. V. Koushik led the carnage with four wickets, while Abhilash Shetty and Prasidh Krishna took three and two wickets, respectively, on a pitch tailor-made for fast bowlers. Karnataka’s innings, however, saw regular wickets tumble, but Smaran Ravichandran held firm with a resilient unbeaten 83, steering the team to a strong position by the end of the day.
Vidarbha vs Rajasthan
Khaleel Ahmed was all over Vidarbha as his spell of 5/57 helped Rajasthan bowl out the visitors for 165. Only Karun Nair and skipper Akshay Wadkar showed some fight with the bat but couldn’t score big. A.B. Kookna claimed the final two wickets as Vidarbha were bundled out for 165 in 58 overs. With the bat, Rajasthan kept losing wickets and ended the day at 101/5. Rajasthan skipper Mahipal Lomror is still at the crease and will resume tomorrow on 44.
Haryana vs Bengal
Suraj Jaiswal was the star of the show for Bengal on Day 1 as he registered a six-wicket haul to dismantle Haryana’s batting lineup and bowl them out for 157. Ankit Kumar top-scored for the side with a 56-ball 57. Writtick Chatterjee was sent packing by Sumit Kumar as Bengal ended the day at 10/1.
Madhya Pradesh vs Kerala
Nidheesh M.D. starred with a five-for as Madhya Pradesh were bundled out for 160. Skipper Shubham Sharma top-scored for the side with a 54-run knock off 134 balls, followed by Venkatesh Iyer’s 80-ball 42. Although MP pacers Avesh Khan, Aryan Pandey, and Kuldeep Sen tried hard, they couldn’t break through the defences of Akshay Chandran and Rohan Kunnummal, as Kerala ended the day at 54/0.
Tamil Nadu vs Chandigarh
Batting at No. 6, 18-year-old Andre Siddarth walked in with Tamil Nadu in trouble at 126/4, having lost four quick wickets after a solid opening stand of 101. What followed was a remarkable counter-attacking knock by the teenager, who smashed 106 off 143 balls, rescuing his team from a precarious position. However, another batting collapse ensued as Tamil Nadu crumbled from 287/5 to 301 all out within the span of 10 overs. Chandigarh’s Vishu Kashyap was the star with the ball, claiming a brilliant five-wicket haul.
Gujarat vs Uttarakhand
Left-arm spinner Siddharth Desai etched his name in the record books with a stunning nine-wicket haul, the best-ever spell by a Gujarat bowler in First-Class cricket, at the Gujarat College Cricket Ground A in Ahmedabad. His magical performance bowled Uttarakhand out for a meagre 111 runs. In reply, Gujarat ended the day at 190/4, holding a 79-run lead. Uttarakhand’s left-arm spinner Mayank Mishra, who has already troubled Gujarat’s batters, will have the chance to complete a five-wicket haul tomorrow.
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