Saurashtra’s Ravindra Jadeja in action during the Ranji Trophy match against Delhi at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot on Thursday, January 23, 2025.
| Photo Credit: VIJAY SONEJI
All that Ravindra Jadeja needs to do to take wickets on a spin-friendly surface in Rajkot is to turn up. Or so it seems, as the left-arm spinner basked in the glow of another five-wicket haul on familiar turf on day one of an engrossing Ranji Trophy contest against Delhi at Ground C of the Niranjan Shah Stadium on Thursday.
On a track tailor-made for the seasoned spinner, as Saurashtra chases outright wins in its last two matches in Group D, the 36-year-old claimed five for 66 and led his team off the field with ball in hand after skittling out Delhi for 188 in the afternoon session. Rishabh Pant’s impact, on the other hand, was limited for the visitor — he was out for one.
At the close, the host reached 163 for five, thanks to Jadeja also stepping up with the bat with a quick-fire 38 off 36 deliveries. Opener Harvik Desai, too, made a stellar contribution of 93 in 120 balls, though he was left lamenting his dismissal by part-timer Arpit Rana off what was the final ball of the day’s play.
He was fortunate, however, that the dice had rolled to his liking early in his innings. In the 11th over, he had been cleaned up by Sumit Mathur on 26 and swiftly returned to the confines of the dressing room, only to be called back because the left-arm spinner had overstepped.
Saurashtra’s Harvik Desai in action during the Ranji Trophy match against Delhi at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot on Thursday, January 23, 2025.
| Photo Credit:
VIJAY SONEJI
Desai capitalised on the reprieve, stitching together a counterattacking 76-run partnership with Jadeja off only 71 balls. When Jadeja went after Mathur and Harsh Tyagi with sixes towards long-on and deep midwicket, the mind harked back to what Pant could have done had he stayed at the crease for any length of time.
Having strode in when Delhi was 85 for three, he lasted all of 10 balls. It was Dharmendrasinh Jadeja who bagged the prized scalp as Pant’s off-balance sweep was snaffled by Prerak Mankad at deep square leg.
Delhi’s Rishabh Pant in action during the Ranji Trophy match against Saurashtra at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot on Thursday, January 23, 2025.
| Photo Credit:
VIJAY SONEJI
For Delhi, skipper Ayush Badoni and Yash Dhull looked most at ease in the middle. Badoni raced to 60 by virtue of his attacking instincts, while Dhull was quick to read length and go forward or back in his knock of 44.
The scores: Delhi — 1st innings: Arpit Rana c Desai b Unadkat 0, Sanat Sangwan lbw b Jadeja 12, Yash Dhull lbw b Jadeja 44, Ayush Badoni c Mankad b Jadeja 60, Rishabh Pant c Mankad b Dharmendrasinh 1, Jonty Sidhu c Jackson b Dodiya 16, Sumit Mathur lbw b Dharmendrasinh 1, Mayank Gusain (not out) 38, Shivam Sharma st Desai b Dharmendrasinh 3, Harsh Tyagi lbw b Jadeja 3, Navdeep Saini c Vasavada b Jadeja 0; Extras (b-5, lb-5): 10; Total (in 49.4 overs): 188.
Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-34, 3-85, 4-92, 5-124, 6-125, 7-164, 8-175, 9-188.
Saurashtra bowling: Unadkat 5-2-16-1, Jani 3-2-3-0, Jadeja 17.4-2-66-5, Dharmendrasinh 19-3-63-3, Dodiya 4-1-28-1, Gajjar 1-0-2-0.
Saurashtra — 1st innings: Harvik Desai c Pant b Rana 93, Chirag Jani c Dhull b Tyagi 11, Cheteshwar Pujara c Tyagi b Badoni 6, Sheldon Jackson b Shivam 7, Ravindra Jadeja c Sidhu b Shivam 38, Arpit Vasavada (batting) 3; Extras (nb-3, lb-2): 5; Total (for five wkts. in 38.5 overs): 163.
Fall of wickets: 1-32, 2-58, 3-79, 4-155, 5-163.
Delhi bowling: Saini 5-0-19-0, Tyagi 13-0-61-1, Mathur 7-0-32-0, Shivam 10-0-36-2, Badoni 3-0-13-1, Rana 0.5-0-0-1.
Published – January 23, 2025 08:20 pm IST
