Ranji Trophy 2023-24: Kerala favourite to win after Bengal left to chase mammoth target on final day

Kerala didn’t enforce the follow-on after bundling out Bengal for 180 in the first innings, leaving the latter to chase a target of 448 on the final day.

FILE - It only took 13 deliveries for Jalaj Saxena (R) to wrap up the Bengal innings and end up with his career-best figures of nine for 68.  | Photo Credit: VIJAY SONEJI / The Hindu

Kerala’s tactics were bizarre after having the opposition on the mat, allowing Bengal a whiff of a chance to force a draw on the final day of the Ranji Trophy cricket match at the St.Xavier’s College ground.

Kerala didn’t enforce the follow-on after bundling out Bengal for 180 in the first innings. The host batted for two sessions and declared the second innings at 265 for six, to leave Bengal a mammoth target of 448 to win the contest.

At stumps on the second day, Bengal was 77 for two on a track of variable bounce and faces a daunting task on Monday.

Kerala ended the day on a high as leg spinner Shreyas Gopal got a delivery to climb, and it took the edge of Sudip Kumar Gharami’s (31) bat and to the safe hands of Akshay Chandran in the slips.

Gharami and Abhimanyu Easwaran, till then, had played the Kerala spinners with ease and had added 50 runs for the second wicket. Easwaran, once again, showed poise and technique against Kerala spinners to remain unbeaten on 31. Bengal’s fortunes on the final day will depend a lot on Easwaran.

Earlier, it only took 13 deliveries for Jalaj Saxena to wrap up the Bengal innings and end up with his career-best figures of nine for 68. Jalaj had Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal (9) edging a catch to Rohan Kunnummal at short leg and then castled Karan Lal for 35 to dismiss Bengal for 180.

Kerala needed a quick start, and openers Kunnummal and Saxena played the Bengal spinners comfortably and punished the loose deliveries without taking any undue risks.

Kunnummal clattered a few boundaries and hit Ankit Mishra over long-on for a six to reach his half-century. Saxena complimented his partner well as the openers scored briskly to add 91 runs for the first wicket.

Kunnummal (51) was trapped in front off a grubber from Shahbaz. Soon after, Jalaj missed his sweep against Mishra and out leg before for 37.

Sachin Baby (50) and Chandran (36) added 87 runs for the third wicket before Baby perished to a big shot. Gopal then attacked the Bengal spinners to score a rapid 50 off 58 balls as Kerala declared the innings at the stroke of tea.