Andhra Pradesh made a strong start in their Ranji Trophy Elite Group B match against Hyderabad, thanks to a five-wicket haul from off-spinner Tripurana Vijay and a fluent half-century from S.K. Rasheed.
Vijay, playing in his first Ranji Trophy match, impressed with his immaculate line and length, claiming the wickets of Abhirath Reddy, K. Rohit Rayudu, K. Himateja, G. Rahul Singh, and Chama Milind. His career-best figures of 5/118 helped restrict Hyderabad to 301 in their first innings.
Hyderabad’s innings was anchored by Tanmay Agarwal, who scored a gritty 159 despite losing wickets at regular intervals. Agarwal’s knock included two huge sixes off Vijay, but he eventually fell to Rafi.
In response, Andhra openers M. Hemanth Reddy and Abhishek Reddy got off to a solid start, putting on 67 runs for the second wicket. However, both batsmen were dismissed in quick succession, leaving Andhra at 84/2.
Rasheed then took center stage, showcasing his class with a fluent 79 not out. He timed his shots beautifully, particularly through the midwicket and cover regions, and combined rock-solid defense with excellent stroke-play.
Karan Shinde provided valuable support to Rasheed, contributing 41 runs. The duo denied Hyderabad any further success, as the bowlers struggled on a pitch that offered little assistance.
At the close of play on the second day, Andhra had reached 168/2, trailing Hyderabad by 133 runs. Rasheed and Shinde remained unbeaten at the crease, looking to build on their partnership and put Andhra in a strong position.
