Pradosh Ranjan Paul, building on his previous match’s double-century heroics, once again showcased his exceptional form, scoring a resilient 113 runs (275 balls, 13 fours). His masterful innings guided Tamil Nadu to a strong position of 252 for four on the opening day of their third-round Ranji Trophy Elite Group-A match against Vidarbha, held at the Sri Ramakrishna College ground on Saturday.
Paul found a steadfast partner in B. Indrajith, who remained unbeaten on 94. Together, this dynamic pair built a crucial 179-run partnership for the fourth wicket, effectively neutralizing Vidarbha’s bowling attack for nearly two full sessions.
Entering the crease after the first over, Pradosh displayed remarkable discipline. He patiently refrained from risky drives through the off-side, instead opting to confidently dispatch deliveries pitched on his pads to the boundary with elegant precision.
Earlier in the day, after winning the toss and choosing to bat, Tamil Nadu faced an early setback, quickly falling to 18 for two with the cheap dismissals of openers R. Vimal Khumar and S.R. Athish. However, Pradosh, alongside C. Andre Siddarth, began the arduous task of rebuilding the innings, forging a patient 55-run partnership for the third wicket.
A Classic Left-Arm Spinner’s Dismissal
Just ten minutes before the lunch break, ambidextrous spinner Akshay Karnewar delivered a textbook left-arm spinner’s dismissal, bowling Andre Siddarth with a ball that turned sharply to clip the top of his off-stump.
Tamil Nadu’s Andre Siddarth was bowled by Karnewar of Vidarbha. | Photo Credit: M. PERIASAMY
Indrajith then took to the crease, joining Pradosh and immediately demonstrating his exceptional skill against spin, particularly on a pitch that favored the slow bowlers. He adeptly used his footwork, stepping out to drive both Karnewar and left-arm spinner Parth Rekhade straight down the ground, effectively disrupting their rhythm and length.
The former Tamil Nadu skipper then accelerated the scoring, reaching his half-century with back-to-back boundaries off Karnewar through midwicket – first a powerful pull shot off the backfoot, followed by an aggressive drive against the spin after advancing down the pitch.
As the final session unfolded, Pradosh elegantly secured his century with a flurry of three boundaries: two confident flicks off the pace bowlers, and then a superb drive through mid-off against Karnewar, who had switched to bowling off-breaks. This brought him past the coveted three-figure milestone.
The scores: Tamil Nadu – 1st innings: S.R. Athish c Bhoyar b Hinge 3, R. Vimal Khumar c Wadkar b Bhute 2, Pradosh Ranjan Paul lbw b Bhute 113, C. Andre Siddarth b Karnewar 33, B. Indrajith (batting) 94, M. Shahrukh Khan (batting) 0; Extras (lb-2, b-4, w-1): 7; Total (for four wkts. in 88 overs): 252.
Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-18, 3-73, 4-252.
Vidarbha bowling: Bhute 17-4-43-2, Hinge 18-4-54-1, Lalit 15-4-37-0, Rekhade 21-0-49-0, Karnewar 16-0-55-1, Bhoyar 1-0-8-0.