The atmosphere was electric when Chetan Sakariya knelt and powerfully launched leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal’s delivery over deep mid-wicket for a stunning six. This audacious shot was the turning point in an absolute nail-biter, as it handed Saurashtra a pivotal four-run first-innings lead against Karnataka. The thrilling Group-B Ranji Trophy encounter unfolded at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot on Friday, setting the stage for a dramatic final day.
Just moments after his game-changing stroke, Sakariya was eventually dismissed leg-before-wicket, becoming Shreyas’ impressive eighth victim of the innings. However, his departure was met with a resounding hero’s welcome from his ecstatic teammates, a testament to the immense value of his courageous batting performance.
More than just the 34 crucial runs added by the final-wicket pair, it was the sheer grit and unyielding spirit of Sakariya and Yuvrajsinh Dodiya that truly shone through. They endured 14.3 incredibly tense overs, soaking up immense pressure and displaying remarkable composure exactly when their team needed it most. Despite Karnataka’s bowlers unleashing everything in their arsenal, the duo remained unshakeable. Each single they cleverly snatched and every defiant block they made was met with thunderous cheers from the Saurashtra dressing room, a collective celebration as they heroically steered their side to a first-innings total of 376.
Earlier in the day, overnight batters Arpit Vasavada and Prerak Mankad had resumed their innings carefully, chipping away at Karnataka’s lead. However, Shreyas Gopal soon broke their momentum, trapping Mankad leg-before and ending their solid 66-run fifth-wicket partnership. Sammar Gajjar then joined Vasavada, and the duo continued to advance the score with clever singles and proactive batting. But once again, Shreyas proved to be the tormentor, dismissing Vasavada and dissolving another promising stand, this one worth 54 runs for the sixth wicket.
Just before the lunch break, Dharmendra Jadeja unfortunately fell to Shreyas, essentially gifting his wicket. Post-interval, left-arm spinner Shikhar Shetty then joined the action, removing Jaydev Unadkat. These quick wickets left Saurashtra struggling at 318 for eight, still 54 runs adrift of Karnataka’s total.
Shreyas then returned to complete his excellent work, eventually dismissing both Gajjar and the hero, Sakariya. Crucially, Sakariya’s defiant knock ensured Saurashtra had already secured that precious first-innings lead. It’s also worth noting that a five-run penalty conceded by Karnataka on the second day ultimately played a significant role in Saurashtra surpassing their opponent’s total.
At the close of play, Karnataka had reached 89 for one in their second innings, extending their overall lead to 85 runs. This sets the stage for a compelling and exciting final day of cricket.
The Scores:
Karnataka — 1st innings: 372. Saurashtra — 1st innings: Harvik Desai lbw b Mohsin 41, Chirag Jani b Shreyas 90, Jay Gohel (sub) c & b Shreyas 3, Arpit Vasavada lbw b Shreyas 58, Ansh Gosai c Smaran b Shreyas 19, Prerak Mankad lbw b Shreyas 27, Sammar Gajjar st Shrijith b Shreyas 45, Dharmendra Jadeja c Venkatesh b Shreyas 10, Jaydev Unadkat b Shikhar 6, Chetan Sakariya lbw b Shreyas 29, Yuvrajsinh Dodiya (not out) 13; Extras: (nb-1, b-13, lb-16, pen-5): 35; Total (in 121.3 overs): 376. Fall of wickets: 1-140, 2-148, 3-151, 4-171, 5-237, 6-291, 7-311, 8-318, 9-342. Karnataka bowling: Abhilash 12-4-24-0, Venkatesh 12-3-34-0, Shikhar 24-3-84-1, Shreyas 39.3-7-110-8, Mohsin 34-1-90-1. Karnataka — 2nd innings: S.J. Nikin Jose lbw b Sammar 34, Mayank Agarwal (batting) 31, Devdutt Padikkal (batting) 18; Extras: (b-4, lb-2): 6; Total (for one wkt. in 28 overs): 89. Fall of wicket: 1-52. Saurashtra bowling: Jadeja 10-4-15-0, Unadkat 5-0-16-0, Dodiya 6-0-26-0, Sakariya 3-0-8-0, Sammar 4-0-18-1.