Chhattisgarh Dominates Tamil Nadu with Imposing 500 in Ranji Trophy
Chhattisgarh, known for its gritty and determined approach, has taken a commanding lead in their third-round Ranji Trophy match against Tamil Nadu. On the second day of the contest at the Sri Ramakrishna College ground, Chhattisgarh posted a formidable total of 500 in their first innings, putting themselves in a strong position to secure a victory.
The Chhattisgarh innings was anchored by a solid opening partnership between Ayush Pandey (124) and Rishabh Tiwari (46). However, it was the middle-order batters who truly shone, with Anuj Tiwari (84), Sanjeet Desai (82), and K.D. Eknath (52) all contributing substantial scores. Ajay Mandal’s aggressive 64, which included two sixes, further boosted the team’s total.
Tamil Nadu’s bowlers struggled to contain Chhattisgarh’s relentless batting onslaught. Ajith Ram, the left-arm spinner, was the pick of the bowlers, claiming four wickets for 132 runs. However, his efforts were not enough to prevent Chhattisgarh from amassing a massive score.
In reply, Tamil Nadu ended the day at 23 for one, with opener S. Lokeshwar falling cheaply to off-spinner Jeevesh Butte. The home team faces an uphill task in the remaining two days of the match, needing to score heavily and avoid a defeat.
The pitch at the Sri Ramakrishna College ground has remained good for batting, but there were signs of the odd ball turning sharply in the final hour of play. This could provide some hope for Tamil Nadu’s spinners as they look to restrict Chhattisgarh’s lead.