Ranji Trophy 2024-25: Birla takes six for Chandigarh, Delhi’s Dhull hits ton on hard-fought opening day

Yash Dhull’s 121 runs helped Delhi get to 276 after it won the toss and opted to bat against the host Chandigarh.

Delhi’s batter Yash Dhull in action against Chandigarh. | Photo Credit: SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR/The Hindu

Left-arm spinner Nishunk Birla’s maiden five-wicket haul marginally overshadowed a century by Yash Dhull (121) on a tightly-contested opening day in the Group D Ranji Trophy clash here. Birla’s figures of 25.4-4-72-6 helped Chandigarh bundle out Delhi, which opted to bat after winning the toss, for 276. In response, the host reached 63 for one with opener Shivam Bhambri unbeaten on 42.

Dhull, who came in at the fall of Anuj Rawat’s wicket in the third over, was fluent from the very outset on Wednesday. In an 82-run stand alongside Sanat Sangwan, he was the busier partner, driving and cutting with authority against pace as well as spin.

However, Birla provided a timely breakthrough when Sangwan attempted an ungainly heave towards the leg side, missing the ball entirely and finding the stumps disturbed. Off-spinner Vishu Kashyap helped Chandigarh strike again before lunch by getting visiting skipper Himmat Singh caught and bowled.

In the first 11 overs after the interval, runs came in a hurry as Dhull and Ayush Badoni tackled the spinners with ease. While Dhull was willing to employ the cut and pull when the opportunity arose, Badoni didn’t mind stepping out and going down the ground. That ultimately brought about Badoni’s downfall as well, when he was caught behind off Birla one shy of what would have been a brisk fifty.

To Delhi’s annoyance, it was a run out that ended Dhull’s stay. Responding to a call for a quick single by Siddhant Sharma, Dhull wasn’t able to reach the striker’s end in time as Rajangad Bawa did ever so well to get to the ball and hit the stumps on his follow-through.

Birla was the most economical of the Chandigarh spinners, using whatever assistance there was to his advantage. In just his fourth game of his debut season, he has taken his tally to 22 wickets.