Every young fast bowler must learn to live with the unglamorous hours of First-Class cricket. The long spells without wickets, the pace that fails to hurry batters, and the short ball that disappears to the boundary are all part of the apprenticeship. For Tamil Nadu debutant Deepesh, the lesson came with a remarkable reward.

After 18.5 overs without a wicket, his persistence with the short ball brought him three in his next eight deliveries (three for 89), triggering Rajasthan’s collapse. The host tumbled from 347 for five to 354 for nine in 29 balls, before being bowled out for 363 in the first session on the second day of the Elite Group-D Ranji Trophy match at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium here on Monday.

After Mahipal Lomror (66, 105b, 11×4), secure in his half-century, pulled Deepesh for four to deep square leg, the 18-year-old went short again, and this time Lomror found substitute Ajith Ram at deep backward square leg. Deepesh was mobbed by his teammates, who congratulated him on his maiden first-class wicket. Kukna Ajay Singh (1) hooked another short ball to Nidhish Rajagopal at fine leg before skipper Manav Suthar (17) edged to the keeper.

Early loss

Tamil Nadu, however, suffered an early setback in its reply when Sai Sudharsan (3) played on to his stumps to 20-year-old debutant Chetan Sharma.

Jagadeesan (55, 99b, 5×4, 1×6) and Pradosh Ranjan Paul (58, 101b, 5×4) then added 104 for the second wicket. Jagadeesan took on left-arm spinner Manav Suthar, flicking him to cow corner for four and clearing the deep midwicket boundary.

Pradosh produced a pristine straight drive off pacer Hemant Kumar, and the pair raised their half-centuries after tea, Pradosh reaching the landmark off 70 balls and Jagadeesan off 93.

Jagadeesan holed out to long-off against left-arm spinner Ajay Singh, who then bowled Pradosh around his legs. Debutant Rohan Rajbhar dismissed B. Indrajith (26) with his off-spin in the final over of the day.

The scores:

Rajasthan — 1st innings: Sachin Yadav lbw b Saravana Kumar 1, Rohan Rajbhar c Jagadeesan b Saravana Kumar 95, Sumit Godara c Jagadeesan b Saravana Kumar 49, Karan Lamba lbw b Sonu Yadav 113, Kartik Sharma c Deepesh b Washington 1, Mahipal Lomror c sub (Ajith Ram) b Deepesh 66, Manav Suthar c Jagadeesan b Deepesh 17, Kukna Ajay Singh c Nidhish b Deepesh 1, Chetan Sharma c Indrajith b Washington 0, Akash Singh (not out) 11, Hemant Kumar c Deepesh b Sai Kishore 0; Extras (b-2, lb-2, w-5): 9; Total (in 115.3 overs): 363.

Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-105, 3-230, 4-231, 5-303, 6-347, 7-349, 8-350, 9-354, 10-363.

Tamil Nadu bowling: Deepesh 23-4-89-3, Saravana Kumar 26-7-68-3, Sonu Yadav 22-4-52-1, Sai Kishore 12.3-0-57-1, Nidhish 9-2-35-0, Washington 23-6-58-2.

Tamil Nadu — 1st innings: Sai Sudharsan b Chetan 3, N. Jagadeesan c Rohan b Kukna 55, Pradosh Ranjan Paul b Kukna 58, B. Indrajith b Rohan 26, Andre Siddarth (batting) 21, Sonu Yadav (batting) 0; Extras (b-1, lb-2, nb-1): 4; Total (for four wkts. in 50 overs): 167.

Fall of wickets: 1-11, 2-115, 3-121, 4-167.

Rajasthan bowling: Akash 13-1-43-0, Chetan 8-0-27-1, Suthar 12-1-40-0, Hemant 4-0-19-0, Rohan 2-0-4-1, Kukna 11-2-31-2.

Published – October 12, 2026 08:17 pm IST