In a display of remarkable resilience, opener Atharva Taide crafted a magnificent unbeaten century, steering Vidarbha to a commanding 280 for 5 on the first day of their Irani Cup encounter against Rest of India (ROI). His pivotal knock arrived after a challenging start for the Ranji Trophy champions.
Taide’s impressive 118 not out from 240 deliveries, featuring six fours and a six, proved to be the anchor the team desperately needed. He found an invaluable ally in Yash Rathod, who contributed a superb 91 runs off 153 balls, including six boundaries and a maximum. Together, this dynamic duo forged a game-changing 184-run partnership for the fourth wicket, pulling Vidarbha back from the brink. The day had started promisingly, with Vidarbha accelerating to 40 without loss within seven overs. However, a rapid succession of three wickets saw them falter to a precarious 80 for 3, setting the stage for Taide and Rathod’s heroics.
Taide’s innings wasn’t without its tense moments. Early on, he had a massive scare when Akash Deep bowled him on the very first ball of the second over, only for the umpire to signal a no-ball, offering him a lifeline. Deep eventually got his wicket, dismissing Aman Mokhade for 19, caught behind after a successful review. Taide continued to ride his luck, surviving a potential inside edge and a dropped catch at slip as Rest of India’s bowlers maintained a relentless attack. Dhruv Shorey, too, was given a reprieve when wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan dropped him, but his luck ran out quickly as spinner Manav Suthar claimed his wicket. Suthar then compounded Vidarbha’s woes by dismissing Danish Malewar for a duck just two balls later, leaving the champions in deep trouble.
The resilient partnership between Taide and Rathod ultimately shifted the momentum, frustrating the ROI bowlers for a significant period. However, just as Vidarbha seemed firmly in control, Rathod, nine runs shy of his century, holed out to Gurnoor Brar off the bowling of Suthar in the 74th over.
Captain Akshay Wadkar joined Taide, aiming to further solidify their position, but their partnership was short-lived, adding only 11 runs before another wicket fell, leaving Vidarbha at 275 for 5. As stumps were called, Taide remained unyielding, his determined century serving as the bedrock for Vidarbha’s challenging total, providing them with a strong foundation despite the initial setbacks.