Ranji Trophy 2023-24: Spinners Rohit Kumar, Shubhang Hegde set up Karnataka’s seven-wicket win over Punjab

The only grouse the home side will have is the failure to grab the bonus point. Karnataka first let go of a 362-run first-innings lead and then couldn’t chase down the 52-run target with all wickets intact.

Karnataka‘s Shubhang Hegde in action against Punjab in the 2023-24 Ranji Trophy 24 opener in Hubballi. | Photo Credit: Kiran Bakale/The Hindu

Karnataka ensured a positive start to its 2023-24 Ranji Trophy campaign by registering a seven-wicket win over Punjab at the KSCA Rajnagar Stadium in Hubballi on Monday.

The only grouse the home side will have is the failure to grab the bonus point that comes with an innings victory or a 10-wicket triumph, for Karnataka first let go of a humongous 362-run first-innings lead and then couldn’t chase down the 52-run target with all wickets intact.

Skipper Mayank Agarwal bagged a pair, Nikin Jose fell cheaply for a second straight occasion and first-innings centurion Devdutt Padikkal — the player of the match — couldn’t bat as he had spent all morning off the field owing to a stomach bug. But R. Samarth (21, 38b, 4x4) and Sharath Srinivas (21 n.o., 47b, 1x4, 1x6) calmed the nerves and carried their team home.

The victory, though, was set-up by the bowlers in the morning. Speedsters V. Vyshak, V. Koushik and Vidwath Kaverappa softened Punjab’s overnight batters Mandeep Singh and Nehal Wadhera with some incisive spells before the left-arm tweakers Rohit Kumar and Shubhang Hegde struck gold.

Debutant and Hubballi lad Rohit, who had struggled on day three with his lengths, finally landed one in the right spot to rearrange captain Mandeep’s stumps. At the other end, Wadhera confidently walked into a shot but ended up spooning a return catch to Shubhang.

Wicket-keeper Gitansh Khera (43, 81b, 6x4) and Mayank Markande (36, 67b, 6x4) combined for a 61-run partnership for the seventh wicket, with the former executing some fine sweep shots. An overdose of the stroke, however, led to his downfall as Rohit slid one through to castle him and be Karnataka’s breakthrough man again.

India pacer Arshdeep Singh swung freely to smash three fours and three sixes (36, 34b, 3x4, 3x6), and forced Karnataka to bat again. But Mayank had men stationed in the deep for false hits and it was not long before Arshdeep holed out at deep mid-wicket.

No. 11 Baltej Singh played a cameo of his own (22, 10b, 2x4, 2x6), but none could deny Karnataka the six points.

BRIEF SCORES

Punjab 152 & 413 (Abhishek Sharma 91, Prabhsimran Singh 100, Gitansh Khera 43; Rohit Kumar 3/101, Shubhang Hegde 3/89) lost to Karnataka 514/8 dec. & 52/3 by seven wickets.