On Saturday, the opening day of their Ranji Trophy Group-C encounter against Gujarat at the iconic Eden Gardens, Bengal managed to post a respectable 244 for seven before bad light halted play almost 50 minutes early. This decent total was largely thanks to impressive half-centuries from Sudip Gharami, Abishek Porel, and Sumanta Gupta, who each played with distinct authority throughout the day, even though their innings saw moments of aggressive, perhaps even reckless, strokeplay.
The pitch at Eden Gardens offered little pace or bounce, presenting a challenge for both batsmen and bowlers. Veteran Gujarat seamer Chintan Gaja, making a comeback to the playing XI in place of star spinner Ravi Bishnoi, bowled with exceptional discipline early on. His persistent efforts paid off when he secured the first wicket, drawing an outside edge from Bengal opener Sudip Chatterjee.
Following the early dismissal, Captain Abhimanyu Easwaran joined Gharami at the crease. The pair forged a vital 67-run partnership, demonstrating excellent understanding despite their contrasting batting approaches. Gharami, in particular, was in fine form, reaching a confident 56 runs off just 90 balls, embellished with 12 fours, many of which came from his elegant drives and precise cuts.
However, Gaja struck again, bringing an end to their promising stand by trapping Abhimanyu Easwaran leg before wicket.
More Trouble for Bengal
Bengal’s woes deepened as they lost two more crucial wickets around the lunch break. Anustup Majumdar, uncharacteristically, lost patience after a prolonged spell of 13 dot balls, attempting a big shot against left-arm spinner Siddharth Desai and holing out. Gharami, who had looked so assured, also fell victim to Desai’s spin, throwing his wicket away while stepping out.
As the middle session progressed, the pitch seemed to settle down, allowing Abishek Porel (51 runs off 71 balls, 9 fours) and Sumanta Gupta (an unbeaten 58 runs off 108 balls, 8 fours) to bat with greater freedom. Porel, who was truly in the zone, unleashed cracking drives and exquisite flicks, while Sumanta showcased his authority with well-executed sweeps, pulls, and neat cuts. Together, they forged a crucial 83-run partnership.
However, the promising partnership was cut short by a rash shot from Porel. The left-hander attempted a sweep across a delivery from outside the off-stump and was caught behind, handing Siddharth his third wicket of the day.
Shahbaz Ahmed departed cheaply, but Sumanta remained steadfast. He batted responsibly, prioritizing singles and rotating the strike, and added a valuable 41 runs with Suraj Jaiswal. Sumanta completed his second consecutive half-century and remained unbeaten alongside Akash Deep as stumps were called.
The scores: Bengal — 1st innings: Sudip Chatterjee c Urvil b Gaja 3, Abhimanyu Easwaran lbw b Gaja 20, Sudip Gharami b Siddharth 56, Anustup Majumdar c Nagwaswalla b Siddharth 0, Abishek Porel c Urvil b Siddharth 51, Sumanta Gupta (batting) 58, Shahbaz Ahmed lbw b Nagwaswalla 2, Suraj Jaiswal lbw b Jayswal 21, Akash Deep (batting) 9; Extras (b-8, lb-14, w-2): 24; Total (for seven wkts. in 72 overs): 244.
Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-75, 3-82, 4-95, 5-178, 6-183, 7-224.
Gujarat bowling: Nagwaswalla 17-1-44-1, Gaja 19-8-46-2, Priyajitsing 11-4-37-0, Jaymeet 3-1-18-0, Siddharth 17-2-55-3, Jayswal 5-0-22-1.
Toss: Gujarat.