Current Match Report – Saurashtra vs Remainder of Ind 2023/24

Remainder of India 298 for 8 (Sudharsan 72, Bharat 36, Bhut 4-85) vs Saurashtra

All-new setting, same-old B Sai Sudharsan. A bit over 24 hours after successful the championship with Surrey in Southampton in what was his maiden county stint, Sudharsan turned up in Rajkot by way of Mumbai and set himself up for one more title with 72 runs of the best high quality on a day-one turner. Sudharsan was the one Remainder of India batter to go 40 on a observe that additionally supplied variable bounce to Saurashtra’s bowlers.

Sudharsan’s dismissal led to a wobble – Remainder of India misplaced 3 for 22 – however useful contributions from the decrease order dragged them nearer to 300 by stumps on the primary day.

Since smashing 96 off 47 balls for Gujarat Titans within the IPL last in May, Sudharsan has been churning out runs. TNPL: test. Duleep Trophy: test. India A: test. Deodhar Trophy: test. County cricket: test. Sunday was no totally different as he eased his manner again house although a number of the different batters struggled on the different finish.

Sudharsan set the bottom, forging a 69-run opening partnership with Mayank Agarwal after Remainder of India received what may very well be a vital toss on a troublesome floor. Sudharsan was pretty watchful within the early exchanges in opposition to home veteran Jaydev Unadkat, however then set to work with a Sadagoppan Ramesh-esque flick off Chirag Jani within the sixth over.

Saurashtra launched spin within the type of Dharmendrasinh Jadeja as early because the ninth over and paired him up with Yuvrajsinh Dodiya. With two slips and a foolish level in place, Dodiya went across the wicket and commonly discovered buy to threaten Sudharsan’s exterior edge, however the batter patiently let these go exterior off. As for Agarwal, he briefly attacked the spinners with sweeps earlier than Jadeja had him looping a bat-pad catch to slide for 32.

Sudharsan might’ve additionally been dismissed on 23, when Dodiya drew him out of the crease, however Harvik Desai, the wicketkeeper, missed the stumping probability. Sudharsan then tightened up: he was both proper ahead or proper again to take care of spin and waited for unfastened balls. And after they got here, he put them away with drives and flicks. One such flick introduced him his half-century earlier than lunch.

Sudharsan is used to enjoying on such turners for his membership Jolly Rovers in Chennai’s first-division league. At varied factors in Rajkot, he made batting look straightforward in opposition to Saurashtra’s spinners.

Both aspect of the lunch break, Unadkat discovered some sharp inswing and had a foolish mid-on in place, however Sudharsan didn’t fall into that entice. He additionally added 69 for the second wicket with Hanuma Vihari earlier than the Remainder of India captain spooned left-arm fingerspinner Parth Bhut to Samarth Vyas at foolish level. Bhut later removed Sudharsan and Yash Dhull to show the lower-middle order.

KS Bharat and Shams Mulani then made counterattacking thirties to assist Remainder of India regain some misplaced floor. Uttar Pradesh’s Saurabh Kumar annoyed Saurashtra even additional with a extra sedate 30 not out.

In all, the seamers bowled simply 16 out of the 90 overs on the primary day, with the spin trio of Bhut, Jadeja and Dodiya placing in large shifts. Remainder of India even have three spinners at their disposal – Saurabh, Mulani and Pulkit Narang – and they’ll even have a significant function to play on a pitch that can decelerate as the sport progresses.