Ranji Trophy 2023-24: Spinners help Tamil Nadu wrestle back control against Punjab on Day 2

Tamil Nadu fought back well in the final session, with Mohammed Ali bowling Anmolpreet Singh out while Ajith Ram dismissed Nehal Wadhera, sending two set batters back.

File Photo: Ajith Ram was the most impactful bowler for the host side, picking up the wickets of opener Prabhsimran Singh and set batter Nehal Wadhera against Punjab in the Ranji Trophy. | Photo Credit: The Hindu /Ragu R

In an engrossing day of cricket, Tamil Nadu (TN) got a slight edge against Punjab at the end of the second day of the final Ranji Trophy league match at the Salem Cricket Foundation ground on Saturday.

Riding on overnight centurion Baba Indrajith’s 187 (295b, 10x4, 1x6) and Vijay Shankar’s 130 (271b, 12x4, 1x6), the host side posted a competitive total of 435 in its first innings. In reply, Punjab finished on 141 for four, adrift by 294 runs on a pitch that is starting to assist the spinners.

The two batters picked up from where they left off on day one and played sensible cricket in the first session. Vijay quickly got to his ton in style by lofting off-spinner Sukhwinder Singh for a six over long-on, and Indrajith got to his 150 with a late-cut four through third-man.

Vijay Shankar, in action, against Punjab on the second day of the Ranji Trophy match held at the Salem Cricket Foundation Ground in Tamil Nadu. | Photo Credit: E Lakshmi Narayanan/The Hindu

Mandeep Singh’s men pulled things back in the last 30 minutes before lunch with three quick wickets. Off-spinner Jassinder Singh struck twice in three balls to dismiss Vijay and R.S. Mokit Hariharan, while Abhishek Sharma got M. Mohammed.

Punjab then quickly bundled out TN post-lunch, with Indrajith the last batter to be dismissed - 13 short of his double-hundred.

In reply, Prabhsimran Singh and Anmolpreet Singh came out guns blazing with a flurry of boundaries and took their side to 84 for two in 20 overs at tea to cap off a perfect passage of play for the visiting team.

But the host fought back well in the final session, with left-arm spinner Sai Kishore drying the runs from one end. Anmolpreet and Nehal Wadhera set a good platform for their side with a 71-run stand for the third wicket.

However, against the run of play, Mohammed Ali had Anmolpreet bowled when he attempted to cut a delivery that came in and ricocheted off his pads to the stumps. Soon, Ajith Ram bowled Wadhera through the gate when attempting a booming drive to help TN wrest back control of the match.

BRIEF SCORES

Tamil Nadu 435 (B. Indrajith 187, Vijay Shankar 130; Sukhwinder 4/99) leads Punjab 141/4 (Anmolpreet Singh 41, Nehal Wadhera 43) by 294 runs.