Irani Cup Highlights, Saurashtra vs Rest of India: Sarfaraz century, bowlers help RoI to 107-run lead on Day 1

STUMPS, 205/3 in 49 overs - Sarfaraz (125*) and Vihari (62*) lead RoI to stumps after a dominating day on the field.

RoI reaches 200 in 46.2 overs - Sarfaraz and Vihari continue to coast after Tea and the lead has swollen to 102.

Hundred for Sarfaraz off just 92 balls! Sarfaraz gets to his 10th First Class hundred in style, with a steer through third-man for his 15th four. Coming in at 18 for three, Sarfaraz has raced to a 92-ball 100 (15x4, 2x6). He has appeared as assured and dominant as he has been for most of the last three years, literally toying with the bowlers and the field since tea. With Vihari also having started to open up his shoulders against the left-arm spin, ominous signs for Saurashtra. RoI 171/3. with a lead of 73.

A sumptuous cover drive off Unadkat for FOUR brings up a flawless half-century for skipper Hanuma Vihari off 88 balls.

16 runs from Unadkat’s over as Sarfaraz motors on with a slew of cracking shots on either side of the strip. He moves onto 96 off 87 balls.

100-run partnership for Sarfaraz Khan and Hanuma Vihari. Sarfaraz brings it up in style with a cheeky upper-cut over the keeper off Chetan Sakariya for FOUR.

Vihari steers Unadkat down the ground for FOUR - brings up the 100 for RoI as they move into the lead.

Vihari (28*) and Sarfaraz (51*) return to the crease. Saurashtra is ahead, well, just by two runs. Spin to continue with Parth Bhut back into the attack.

Sarfaraz Khan pushes one through covers off left-arm spinner Parth Bhut to complete yet another fifty. With Vihari looking assured at the other end, looks like Saurashtra will need yet another magic spell post tea to keep the game in bthe balance.

50 off 50 deliveries for Sarfaraz Khan. He just cannot stop scoring for whichever team he has turned out for over the last two red-ball seasons.

A solid push through cover from Vihari finds the fence for FOUR. It brings up the 50-run partnership between Sarfaraz and Vihari who have looked unruffled in their stand so far.

Hanuma Vihari’s cover drive off Chetan Sakariya off the last ball before the drinks break is the short of the day so far. RoI 44/3, with the left-arm pace duo having bowled six overs each.

Unadkat to Dhull, OUT! Unadkat comes around the wicket and slips one away from the off-stump. Dhull pokes at it away from the body and sends it to the second-slip fielder who takes a low catch. The umpires have given it out as per the soft signal, but have referred the catch to the TV Umpire. The red light flashes and Dhull has to go.

Yash Dhull 5(6) ct H Desai b J Unadkat

Sakariya to Agarwal, OUT! Flicked straight to the square-leg fielder. Mayank Agarwal’s poor run continues and SAU have removed the openers within four overs.

Mayank Agarwal 11(14) ct Vishvarajsinh Jadeja (Sub) b Chetan Sakariya

Unadkat to Easwaran, OUT! It takes Unadkat just three balls to take a cue from RoI pacers and get Abhimanyu caught in the slips. That marks the return of Saurashtra’s trademark synchronised clapping. Yash Dhull gets off the mark with an off-drive.

A R Easwaran 0(3) ct A V Vasavada b J Unadkat

Back after lunch. Abhimanyu Easwaran and Mayank Agarwal at the centre for RoI. Jaydev Unadkat up with the new ball for Saurashtra.

Lowest totals in Irani Cup history: 83 - RoI v Bombay, 1964; 93 - Karnataka v RoI, 1997; 96 - RoI v Bombay, 1969; 98 - SAURASHTRA vs RoI, 2022*; 99 - RoI v Bombay, 1995; 99 - Bombay v RoI, 1966

Umran Malik to D Jadeja, OUT! RoI bundles Saurashtra for 98 inside the first session.

With left-handers Dharmendra Jadeja and Chetan Sakariya putting on the highest partnership of the innings, for the last wicket, Umran Malik is brought back for a short burst before lunch. He bowls a short one that thuds into Jadeja’s helmet. He is visibly shaken but thankfully there’s no serious damage. A change of helmet and Jadeja resumes

Three balls later, Jadeja is found in no man’s land as he edges to Abhimanyu Easwaran at second slip. Saurashtra bowled out for a paltry 98. See you after lunch.

With that Chetan Sakariya punch through covers, Saurashtra have avoided the ignominy of registering the lower total in the history of Irani Cup.

Umran Malik to Unadkat, OUT!

Kuldeep to Mankad, OUT! Kuldeep switches ends and gets one straightaway. He pitches the ball up and Mankad attempts for a drive through cover but nicks this ball the keeper.

Prerak Mankad 9(16) ct K S Bharat b Kuldeep Sen

It’s been Rest of India’s mini-session all along. Kuldeep Sen and Umran Malik have been impressive with their raw pace but Mukesh Kumar has emerged as the most successful pacer with four scalps. At 51/6 at the time of the first drinks break, Saurashtra has a monumental task to make a match out of it.

Three fours in the over off Mukesh Kumar and Saurashtra have just nudged past 50.

Mukesh to Jackson, OUT! Fourth wicket for Mukesh Kumar! What a spell has this been from the Bengal seamer. Jackson is lured into a shot outside the off-stump and Mukesh races away with the outside-edge to slip.

Sheldon Jackson 2(19) ct S N Khan b Mukesh Kumar

Umran to Vasavada, OUT! A cracking nip-backer from Umran steams through Vasavad’s defence to rattle the stumps.

A V Vasavada 22(19) b Umran Malik

Mukesh to Snell Patel, OUT! Snell Patel 4(7) ct K S Bharat b Mukesh Kumar

Just as I finish the previous update, Mukesh continues to be rewarded for his immaculate line and length. Yet another ball pitched in the perfect channel, slight movement off the seam and keeper Bharat is in action this time around. Snell Patel walks back. Mukesh has snared three for a solitary run. Saurashtra is four down with five runs on the board.

RoI are living up to its reputation. Mukesh Kumar does the early damage, with edges in the cordon off Harvik Desai and Chirag Jani’s willow off successive balls. Cheteshwar Pujara then attempts an audacious slash off Kuldeep Sen only to see the thick edge being pouched by Hanuma Vihari off second attempt at first slip. Saurashtra in trouble. Can Sheldon Jackson and Snell Patel bail them out?

Kuldeep Sen to Pujara, OUT! Short and wide from Kuldeep and Pujara attempts to cut the ball over the cordon but gets a thick outside-edge to Vihari at first slip. SAU in huge disarray as Sheldon Jackson walks in at 5.

C Pujara 1(4) ct G H Vihari b Kuldeep Sen

Mukesh to Desai, OUT! A gentle outswinger just outside the off-stump and Harvik is forced to have a poke at it. The ball clips the outside-edge and flies straight to Vihari at first slip . Mukesh to Chirag Jani, OUT! Edged and taken again! This time at third-slip as Mukesh drops the ball shorter to get a faint outside-edge. Two in two for Mukesh as Cheteshwar Pujara walks in at 4.

H Desai 0(9) ct G H Vihari b Mukesh Kumar

Kuldeep Sen from the opposite end. Sen strays to the pads and Patel opens the account for Saurashtra with a flick down to backward square leg for FOUR.

Harvik Desai and Snell Patel open for Saurashtra. Mukesh Kumar takes the new ball for RoI. Fine start from Mukesh as he completes a maiden with some movement on offer. SAU 0/0 (1 over)

Upendra Yadav, Sai Kishore, and Yashasvi Jaiswal were bound to be in the XI, with the make-up of the squad. It’s surprising to see neither Priyank Panchal nor Arzan Nagwaswalla making the cut. The national selectors and RoI coaches are trying out different combinations and players with an eye on the future, it seems.

Rest of India: Abhimanyu Easwaran, Mayank Agarwal, Yash Dhull, Hanuma Vihari, KS Bharat, Sarfaraz Khan, Jayant Yadav, Saurabh Kumar, Mukesh Kumar, Kuldeep Sen, Umran Malik

Saurashtra: Arpit Vasavada, Cheteshwar Pujara, Chetan Sakariya, Chirag Jani, D Jadeja, Harvik Desai, Jaydev Unadkat (c), Parth Bhut, Prerak Mankad, Sheldon Jackson, Snell Patel (wk)

Rest of India wins the toss, opts to field

With the cumulative experience of just 34 matches across all formats of competitive cricket, Umran Malik is still on the path of self-discovery in terms of his true potential. While it is surprising to see the fiery quick get a call-up for the ROI side, all eyeballs will be fixed on Umran if he makes the XI, for he has been seemingly picked for a bigger assignment with the white ball this month.

Soon after the Rest of India finished a gruelling net session and Saurashtra’s team meeting got over on Friday afternoon, Dharmendrasinh Jadeja walked across to the adjoining dressing room at the Saurashtra Cricket Association stadium and gave Hanuma Vihari a hug.

The duo were teammates the last time Irani Cup - conventionally the most significant First-Class fixture on the domestic calendar - was played, in February 2019. Come Saturday, they will be up against each other as Saurashtra will be looking forward to stamp its supremacy against Vihari’s Rest of India.

Despite winning the Ranji Trophy in 2019-20, Saurashtra is no longer the defending Ranji Trophy champion. Still, the BCCI allowing its cancelled Irani Trophy tie to take place at the start of the season has been the best motivation for Jaydev Unadkat’s side.

“The fact that we had to wait so long is in itself a big motivation. For us, it wasn’t only about winning the Ranji Trophy but to keep improving as a side. And this is a stepping stone,” Unadkat told Sportstar on Friday.

“Playing an Irani tie in itself is a special feeling. Playing it versus Rest of India makes it even more special. It’s an achievement in itself. We have been able to accomplish it. It’s down to what we have done in the past. Hopefully we can mentally carry on from where we left the last time we played in Rajkot (in March 2020).”

For Vihari, who will be leading Rest of India for the first time after having scored hundreds in each innings during the last tie in Nagpur, the challenge will be two-fold.

First, in consultation with the coaching staff of Shitanshu Kotak and Rajib Datta and national selectors, he will have to choose the winning combination.

It will be interesting to see the batting line-up, with five regular openers having been selected in the squad. The bigger issue will be to see whether speedsters Umran Malik and Kuldeep Sen both will be given a go along with left-armer Arzan Nagwaswalla.

The second big challenge will be to ensure the group dominated by youngsters plays as a team.

“I have understood the importance of this tie. Not only for selection but even with the competition within the boys, it’s a high-intensity game. I am sure the younger boys realise that,” Vihari said.

“It’s important to understand that we are here to win the game. If you are looking for personal glory, then I don’t think we can play with each other. That’s one thing I’ll try to remind them that it’s a team sport. I know that individual performances do matter but if the team doesn’t win, then the value of the performance comes down.”

SQUADS

Saurashtra: Jaydev Unadkat (c), Sheldon Jackson, Cheteshwar Pujara, Snell Patel, Arpit Vasavada, Prerak Mankad, Chirag Jani, Harvik Desai, Samarth Vyas, Dharmendra Jadeja, Kamlesh Makwana, Kushang Patel, Chetan Sakariya, Parth Bhut, Kishan Parmar, Vishwaraj Jadeja.

Rest of India: Hanuma Vihari (c), Mayank Agarwal, Priyank Panchal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Yash Dhull, Sarfaraz Khan, Yashasvi Jaiswal, K.S. Bharat, Upendra Yadav, Jayant Yadav, Saurabh Kumar, R. Sai Kishore, Mukesh Kumar, Umran Malik, Kuldeep Sen, Arzan Nagwaswalla.