Cheteshwar Pujara and Arpit Vasavada gave a masterclass in defensive batting with a five-hour partnership on day two, taking Saurashtra to a strong position on Day 2 of their Ranji Trophy final against Bengal, in Rajkot, on Tuesday. Pujara (66 off 237), who was on five when he retired hurt on day one due to fever, and Vasavada (106 off 287) batted for two sessions and five overs as the hosts reached 384 for eight at the close of play.
The Bengaluru outfit will hope for a reversal at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium, a venue that carries similar traits as RCB's home -- Chinnaswamy Stadium -- in terms of a smooth pitch and a blistering outfield adding value to the batters' shots.
Images from Day 3 of the fourth Test between India and England in Ranchi on Sunday, February 25.
K L Rahul has ruled out of the third Test against England, starting in Rajkot on Thursday, after failing to recover fully from his injury.
Spinner Wanindu Hasaranga expressed happiness after his spell helped Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Mumbai Indians by seven wickets in the IPL match in Pune on Saturday.
From a maths perspective, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans can still reach the IPL playoffs, but they need to ward off inner gremlins on Saturday to notch a mandatory win to keep that dream flickering.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru's IPL 2024 campaign is just one-match old, but it has already exposed their biggest chink. It's fragility in bowling, and they need better returns from bowlers against a confident Punjab Kings at an unforgiving M Chinnaswamy Stadium, in Bengaluru, on Monday.
Priyank Panchal smashed an unbeaten 99 off 69 balls as West Zone coasted to a comfortable nine-wicket victory
A round-up of Ranji matches played on Thursday.
Bobat also backed England all-rounder Will Jacks to come in handy.
Pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada produced an inspired bowling performance to lead MI Cape Town to their maiden SA20 title with a comfortable 76 runs victory over two-time champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the final at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Saturday.
Mumbai Indians are enduring a poor start to IPL 2022, having lost their first three games.
IMAGES from the IPL 2022 game between Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore, at the D Y Patil stadium in Navi Mumbai, on Tuesday.
Roundup of matches across the country in the ongoing BCCI Ranji Trophy
Royal Challengers Bangalore's all-rounder Washington Sundar was on Monday ruled out of the second phase of the IPL starting in the UAE on September 19 because of injury.
'Even if we had won the New Zealand series 3-0, it would have meant little because the conditions in Australia are very different, and the team there is very different.' 'In Australia, you just go with a clean slate and start fresh. It doesn't matter what has happened on the previous page.'
'The series has shown a lot of talent, for us and India. I love Test cricket and we've seen some young, inexperienced players perform and the future looks bright in this format.'
India skipper Rohit Sharma on Monday had a stern message for aspirants wanting to make the national Test team without putting in the hard yards -- opportunities will only be given to those who show "hunger for success" in the "toughest" format.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for the first Test against Bangladesh?
Saurashtra, led by the inspirational Jaydev Unadkat, will back themselves to win an elusive Ranji Trophy title at home but a buoyant Bengal will be no pushovers in what promises to be an absorbing final beginning, in Rajkot, on Monday. Both the teams are desperate to go all the way with Saurashtra reaching their fourth final in eight seasons while Bengal has not tasted success in the premier domestic event since the 1989-90 triumph.
'There will be a lot of spice to the contest -- there is a reason India is the only team other than England against whom Australia is keen to play a five Test series.' 'I'll watch, as I suspect most fans will -- but this one time, I'll watch with considerable trepidation and, from a fan's point of view, with the hope that the team finds its feet and that right quick,' notes the distinguished cricket commentator Prem Panicker.
Veteran medium pacer Nilkantha Das has also been included and even opener Sudip Gharami, despite a season of non-performance has made it to the squad.
Jurel, Sarfaraz in line for debuts, Shubman Gill skips optional training
A red-hot Bengal will have a chance to win their first Ranji Trophy title in 33 years when they face Saurashtra, bolstered by the return of pacer and domestic game heavyweight Jaydev Unadkat, in the summit clash in Kolkata from Thursday.
The Mumbai batter lit the Chinnaswamy stadium with his brilliant batting.
A round-up of the Ranji Trophy matches played on Saturday.
With five consecutive defeats, bottom-placed RCB have the daunting task of winning their remaining seven games to keep their play-off prospects alive.
Young Indian players showed immense fortitude to tide over the absence of stars like Virat Kohli and Mohammed Shami to out-punch England 4-1 in the Test series, and head coach Rahul Dravid lauded them for delivering in crunch situations.
Pushed into a tight corner, Royal Challengers Bengaluru rose above their frailties to notch four wins on the trot and stay alive in the race to play-offs. However, a volatile Delhi Capitals offer them a different challenge in their penultimate IPL league match in Bengaluru on Sunday.
A state association official said Ranji Trophy runs the risk of 'a slow death if it was not made mandatory for top players to compete'.
The "composed" set of newcomers in the Indian team don't need frequent advice, they need just a supportive environment to excel, said skipper Rohit Sharma after the young guns played a major part in the hosts' series-sealing win over England in the fourth Test in Ranchi on Monday.
An inconsistent Royal Challengers Bengaluru would be eager to hit the turnaround button when they host Lucknow Super Giants, who will keep an eye on regular skipper KL Rahul's fitness, in the IPL in Bengaluru on Tuesday
A round-up of Ranji Trophy matches played on Saturday.
However, it remains to be seen how RCB will cope without players like Rajat Patidar and Josh Hazlewood, who both have been sidelined for at least the first half of this IPL due to injuries. Australian Glenn Maxwell is also unlikely to feature in Sunday's game.
Both Jaiswal and du Plessis, the leading run-getters in IPL 2023 so far, are in scintillating form. While du Plessis is leading the scoring charts with 576 runs from 11 innings, including six half centuries and a best of 84, Jaiswal is a close second with 575 runs from 12 matches, which includes four fifties and a 124-run knock.
Heinrich Klaasen is the most expensive retained player in IPL history.
Veteran batter Cheteshwar Pujara slammed his second hundred of the ongoing Ranji Trophy season, guiding Saurashtra to a comfortable 242 for four against Rajasthan on the opening day of their Group A match, in Jaipur on Friday.
Royal Challengers Bangalore will expect more runs from their batters and discipline in 'death' overs bowling when they take on high-flying Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL match in Bengaluru on Monday.
Table-toppers Rajasthan Royals need more from their fragile middle-order as they look to return to winning ways against an inconsistent but dangerous Royal Challengers Bangalore in Sunday's IPL match in Bengaluru.
'It's gruelling. Playing a five-match series is not easy. That's what Test cricket is all about.'
