Opener N. Jagadeesan notched up his second century of the season as Tamil Nadu drew its Ranji Trophy Elite Group-D match against Assam at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Saturday.
The Tamil Nadu vice-captain remained unbeaten on 118 (188b, 9x4, 1x6) as he and Pradosh Ranjan Paul (68 not out, 112b, 5x4) took the team’s second innings score to 217 for two when the match ended. Assam piled up 445 in reply to Tamil Nadu’s first-innings total of 338.
The visiting team began the final day with 99 runs in arrears and saw Jagadeesan’s opening partner – S. Lokeshwar, fall to pacer Mukhtar Hussain for three. The experienced Vijay Shankar joined Jagadeesan in the middle and the two went about the task of reducing the deficit.
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The Tamil Nadu duo chose a risk-free approach and played shots when the bowlers erred in line and length. Jagadeesan, though a tad uncomfortable against left-arm pacer Mrinmoy Dutta, showed a willingness to play the waiting game.
He added 54 runs for the second wicket with Vijay Shankar (23) before Swarupam Purkayastha sent back the latter with the team still requiring 34 runs to erase the deficit.
Pradosh, who joined Jagadeesan, proved an apt foil as they went about blunting the Assam bowlers. There were occasions when the two batters were beaten by good deliveries but persevered for an unbroken 144-run third-wicket partnership.
Jagadeesan hit some impressive shots and hoisted off-spinner Purkayastha for a big six while Pradosh helped himself to a few boundaries when Mrinmoy faltered with his direction and recorded his seventh First-Class half-century.
Speaking to Sportstar after the match, Jagadeesan said it wasn’t the expected result and TN needs to try and do a lot better in the games to come.
“Obviously, we are all are disappointed, it was not the result we expected. You know we would have been happy if we had taken the lead at least. But, it is a funny game and it has happened,” he said.
Jagadeesan, who has so far hit 397 runs in four games this season, added, “On the 1st day, it was properly overcast and it was a bit difficult to bat, but it is not an excuse. We as a team will have to pull up our socks. We have to try and do a lot better in the upcoming games.”
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