New Delhi: The sixth round of the Ranji Trophy had increased in anticipation due to Indian Test team stars like captain Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill joining their respective state teams.
The star quartet playing in the Ranji Trophy came after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) made it compulsory for international players to participate in domestic cricket as part of its new policy.
But on day one of the competition’s second leg, all four of them were dismissed for single-digit scores. At the MCA Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy ground in Bandra-Kurla Complex, Mumbai, Rohit’s much-anticipated return to the Ranji Trophy after ten years was short-lived, lasting just 19 balls as he was dismissed for just three runs by J&K fast-bowler Umar Nazir.
Nazir, bowling with discipline and accuracy, troubled Rohit with consecutive maidens before having a length delivery outside off taking Rohit’s leading edge as he went for a pull and was caught at extra cover. This dismissal extended Rohit’s lean patch in red-ball cricket after he averaged only 10.93 in the 2024/25 Test season for India.
On the other hand, Jaiswal fell for four to Auqib Nabi, who exploited the morning nip to the fullest and trapped the left-handed lbw with a sharp delivery jagging back in. In Bengaluru, opening for Punjab, Gill was dismissed for four off eight balls after being caught behind off Karnataka pacer Abhilash Shetty, as the visitors were dismissed for just 55 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Moving to the Niranjan Shah Stadium Ground C in Rajkot, playing his first Ranji Trophy game since December 2017, Pant’s stay at the crease was minuscule as he scored just one run off 10 balls for Delhi against Saurashtra. In an attempt to sweep off Dharmendrasinh Jadeja, Pant fell off balance and was caught at deep square leg.
There was some cheer though on the bowling front as Ravindra Jadeja took 5-66 in 17.4 overs as Saurashtra bowled out Delhi for 188. The quartet of Rohit, Jaiswal, Pant and Gill will have an opportunity to redeem themselves when the second innings of their respective teams arrive with the bat in their ongoing games.
