Delhi made an emphatic statement on the opening day of their first home Ranji Trophy match for the 2025-26 season. Capitalizing on a notably flat pitch, the home side established a commanding position against Himachal Pradesh, setting a formidable tone for the contest.
At the Arun Jaitley Stadium, a quartet of Delhi batsmen—Arpit Rana, Sanat Sangwan, Yash Dhull, and Ayush Doseja—all notched up impressive half-centuries. By stumps, Delhi had reached 306 for four after 86 overs. While a slight frustration might linger that Arpit, Sangwan, and Dhull couldn’t convert their strong starts into triple-digit scores, 23-year-old Doseja remains unbeaten on 51, poised to build on his momentum from a double hundred in his First Class debut against Hyderabad in the previous round.
[Image: Delhi’s Sanat Sangwan elegantly drives the ball through the off-side during the match.]
The foundation for Delhi’s dominant day was laid by openers Arpit and Sangwan, who forged a robust 103-run partnership. Arpit, who had been under pressure with a modest record of 84 runs from his previous eight innings, silenced his critics with a well-composed 64 off 110 balls.
[Image: Delhi player Arpit Rana raises his bat, celebrating a half-century against Himachal Pradesh.]
Sangwan and Dhull then continued to press the advantage, adding a further 93 runs for the second wicket. Sangwan once again showcased his characteristic patience, while Yash Dhull, batting at No. 3, was in an aggressive mood, striking some exquisite boundaries en route to a swift 61 off just 66 balls.
[Image: Delhi player Yash Dhull is captured mid-action during his innings against Himachal Pradesh.]
Himachal finally managed to claw back some momentum when Dhull was caught by wicketkeeper Ankush Bains off Arpit Guleria’s bowling. This breakthrough was followed quickly by the dismissals of Ayush Badoni (15 runs) and Sangwan, both falling in quick succession, with Vaibhav Arora claiming Badoni’s wicket.
With the scoreboard reading 235 for four, the responsibility fell to Doseja and Sumit Mathur to stabilize the innings and rebuild. The two left-handed batters rose to the occasion, crafting an unbroken 71-run partnership for the fifth wicket, ensuring Delhi concluded the day in a commanding position.
Scores at Stumps:
Delhi — 1st Innings:
- Arpit Rana c Bains b Divesh: 64
- Sanat Sangwan c Bains b Divesh: 79
- Yash Dhull c Bains b Guleria: 61
- Badoni c Kalsi b Arora: 15
- Ayush Doseja (batting): 51
- Sumit Mathur (batting): 32
- Extras (w-2, lb-2): 4
- Total (for four wickets in 86 overs): 306
Fall of wickets: 1-103, 2-196, 3-218, 4-235.
Himachal Bowling:
- Arora: 16-2-56-1
- Guleria: 16-2-58-1
- Divesh: 16-4-42-2
- Negi: 21-0-73-0
- Dagar: 14-0-61-0
- Vashisht: 3-0-14-0
Toss: Himachal.