Saurabh's all-round show gives Rest of India firm control
After hitting a half-century to help Rest of India extend their first-innings lead to 276, he dismissed both Saurashtra opener
PTI
02-Oct-2022
File photo: After hitting a half-century, Saurabh Kumar removed both Saurashtra openers • Manoj Bookanakere/KSCA
Saurashtra 98 and 49 for 2 (Jadeja 8*, Jani 3*, Saurabh 2-0) trail Rest of India 374 (Sarfaraz 138, Vihari 82, Saurabh 55, Sakariya 5-93) by 227 runs
Left-arm spinner Saurabh Kumar hit a strokeful fifty before returning to snap two wickets as Rest of India tightened the noose around Saurashtra on the second day of the Irani Cup match in Rajkot.
Saurabh smashed ten boundaries in his 78-ball 55 and added 71 with Jayant Yadav for the seventh wicket to take Rest of India close to the 350-mark after Sarfaraz Khan dominated the opening day with a century. Saurabh's innings helped Rest of India extend their first-innings lead to a solid 276 runs.
The 29-year-old from Uttar Pradesh then returned to dismiss both Saurashtra openers - Harvik Desai and Snell Patel - as Rest of India gained further ascendency in the match.
At stumps, Chirag Jani and Dharmendrasinh Jadeja were at the crease with Saurashtra, the 2019-20 Ranji Trophy champions, at 49 for 2 in 17 overs, still trailing by 227.
Earlier, left-arm seamer Chetan Sakariya gave Saurashtra a glimmer of hope with a five-wicket haul as they dismissed Rest of India for 374 in 110 overs.
Sakariya snapped four wickets on Sunday, to go with the one scalp he took on the opening day, after Chirag Jani removed the overnight batters Hanuma Vihari (82) and Sarfaraz (138) in the first session.
After dominating the opening day, Rest of India started day two at 205 for 3 with skipper Vihari and centurion Sarfaraz batting for more than an hour, adding another 33 runs to their overnight partnership. However, both departed in quick succession with Jani producing the breakthroughs.
Jani first had Vihari caught by Harvik Desai before trapping Sarfaraz lbw in his opening spell to reduce Rest of India to 239 for 5 in the 65th over.
It was a Sakariya show after that as he drew KS Bharat with a full delivery after coming round the wicket and induced an edge that was caught by Desai.
After the stand between Jayant and Saurabh, it was Sakariya once again in action as he removed the former with another full delivery that held its line outside the off stump and got an edge from the batter.
The 24-year-old pacer then managed to get a top edge from the blade of Saurabh, who went for a pull despite not being in position, only to be caught by Snell. Sakariya then completed his five-for when he sent back Mukesh Kumar with Prerak Mankad taking a sensational catch diving across in gully area.
Kuldeep Sen was the last batter dismissed, in the form of a run-out.
After a dismal batting display in the first innings, a lot was expected from Saurashtra and the opening duo of Desai and Snell did well to see off the new ball spell from Mukesh and Sen.
However, Saurabh, who didn't bowl in the first innings, made life difficult for the batters after he was introduced in the 11th over. He produced four successive maiden overs and in the process snapped both the openers.
While Snell chipped one straight to Sarfaraz at cover, Desai got an outside edge and Vihari, at first slip, held on to the catch after the ball hit the keeper's thigh and got deflected.
Earlier in the day, Mayank Agarwal had to rush to the hospital for a precautionary scan after he was hit on the head with a throw just before the start of Saurashtra's second innings. The incident happened when Mayank was heading towards his fielding position when a high throw from one of the fielders landed straight on his head.