The second day of the Ranji Trophy’s latest round was a run-fest, headlined by monumental team totals and several individual batting masterclasses that put teams like Karnataka, Mumbai, and Rajasthan in commanding positions.
Karnataka in Driver’s Seat After Smaran’s Double Century
Ravichandran Smaran was the standout performer of the day, converting his overnight score into a magnificent, unbeaten 227. This marked his second double-hundred of the year, powering Karnataka to a formidable 547/8 declared against Chandigarh.
The dominance didn’t stop there. Leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal, who had earlier scored a fifty, then wreaked havoc with the ball, taking three wickets to reduce Chandigarh to a precarious 72/4 at stumps, firmly putting Karnataka in the driver’s seat.
Mumbai Continues Batting Onslaught
As reported, Mumbai continued their utter dominance over Pondicherry. Resuming at 317/3, they declared at a mammoth 630/5, thanks to Siddhesh Lad’s career-best 170 and Akash Anand’s fluent 107. The innings also featured vital fifties from Sarfaraz Khan and Shardul Thakur.
Skipper Thakur then switched to his primary role, taking three quick wickets to leave Pondicherry reeling at 43/4 at the close of play, facing a monumental task to save the match.
Other Key Performances from Around the Grounds
- Rajasthan’s Four Centurions: In a rare feat, four Rajasthan batsmen—Sachin Yadav, Kunal Singh Rathore, Mahipal Lomror, and Kartik Sharma—scored centuries to post a massive 570/7 declared against a struggling Delhi.
- Chhattisgarh’s Run-Machine: Amandeep Khare and Mayank Verma scored centuries to power Chhattisgarh to a commanding 585/6 declared against Himachal Pradesh.
- Andhra’s Strong Reply: After Jharkhand posted 328, Abhishek Reddy’s unbeaten 103 led a solid Andhra reply, guiding them to 224/2 by the end of the day.
- Bowling Brilliance from Amit Shukla: For Services, pacer Amit Shukla delivered a stunning spell, taking an eight-wicket haul to skittle Haryana for a meager 111.
The Bottom Line
With multiple teams posting scores in excess of 550, Day 2 was a stark reminder of the batting-friendly conditions prevalent across many venues. However, the likes of Shreyas Gopal, Shardul Thakur, and Amit Shukla proved that quality bowling can still make a decisive impact, setting up intriguing third days in several matches.
