Cricket

Delhi's batting woes continued on day two of their Ranji Trophy clash against Assam at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Despite several players getting starts, the home side found themselves trailing by 116 runs with four wickets remaining in their first innings.Skipper Himmat Singh top-scored with 55, while Yash Dhull and Sanat Sangwan contributed 47 each. However, none of them could convert their starts into substantial scores, unlike Sumit Ghadigaonkar, who had scored 162 for Assam.Delhi's innings began disastrously with Gagan Vats dismissed for a duck off the very first ball. Dhull and Sangwan steadied the ship with a 66-run partnership for the second wicket, but Dhull's dismissal just after lunch proved costly.Himmat and Sangwan looked assured at the crease, but their efforts were not enough to lift Delhi out of trouble. The frustration was evident as the home side failed to capitalize on their opportunities.Earlier in the day, Delhi's bowlers had done their job by taking the remaining four Assam wickets fairly quickly. Himmat's catch to dismiss Mukhtar Hussain was a highlight, as he ran back a few meters while following the trajectory of the ball and completed an excellent catch.Harshit Rana claimed his five-for with a full ball to Mrinmoy Dutta that clattered the stumps, wrapping up Assam's innings at 330.Delhi now faces an uphill battle to even claim first-innings honors when play resumes on Monday. Their batting has been underwhelming throughout the season, and they will need to find a way to turn things around if they want to avoid defeat.

Pace bowler Harshit Rana, who has been serving as a traveling reserve with the Indian Test team during their ongoing series against New Zealand, is set to be released to play for Delhi in the upcoming Ranji Trophy match against Assam. The decision comes after Delhi and Districts Cricket Association (DDCA) requested Rana's services due to the unavailability of Navdeep Saini, who has been named in India A's squad touring Australia.Rana, who has not featured in the second Test against New Zealand, will be allowed to represent Delhi in the Ranji Trophy, as per reports from Times of India. The match between Delhi and Assam is scheduled to commence on Saturday, October 26, at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.Rana's release from the Indian setup follows a similar move for Nitish Kumar Reddy, who was allowed to play for Andhra against Gujarat. Rana has played nine first-class matches to date, claiming 36 wickets and even scoring a century with the bat.Rana's inclusion in the Indian setup has been a regular occurrence since Gautam Gambhir took over as head coach, having previously mentored him at Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) during IPL 2024. However, Rana is yet to make his debut in any format for India.With Rana's release confirming that he will not make his India debut before October 31, it provides Kolkata Knight Riders with the opportunity to retain him as an uncapped player ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. Uncapped players can be retained for as low as Rs 4 crore.Rana played a pivotal role in KKR's third IPL title triumph in 2024, claiming 19 wickets and finishing among the top five wicket-takers.

Harshit Rana, the 22-year-old pacer, made a strong return to competitive cricket on Saturday, taking four wickets in Delhi's Ranji Trophy opener against Assam. Rana, who had not played a competitive game for over a month, showed no signs of rust as he struck twice in his opening spell and picked up two more wickets throughout the day.Assam began their innings cautiously, but Rana's early burst put them on the back foot. He dismissed Subham Mandal, Abhishek Thakuri, and Rishav Das in quick succession, leaving Assam reeling at 59 for four. However, wicketkeeper-batsman Sumit Ghadigaonkar played a defiant knock, scoring an unbeaten 120 to help Assam recover.Ghadigaonkar and Sibsankar Roy put on a 164-run partnership for the fifth wicket, frustrating the Delhi bowlers. Ghadigaonkar reached his century with a boundary off Rana, who had earlier dismissed him twice in the innings.Despite Rana's efforts, Assam managed to reach 264 for six at stumps, thanks largely to Ghadigaonkar's heroics. The 32-year-old Mumbai-born batsman showed his class with a well-paced innings that included six fours and two sixes.Rana's performance was a timely reminder of his quality ahead of India's upcoming Test series against Australia. The pacer was named in India's Test squad on Friday night and will be looking to make an impact in the five-match series.

Delhi's Ranji Trophy campaign has hit a roadblock after a disappointing draw against Tamil Nadu in the second round. Despite Yash Dhull's unbeaten century in the first innings and Sanat Sangwan's valiant 83 in the second, Delhi's batters struggled to make a mark.The home side will need to raise their game significantly when they face Assam at the Arun Jaitley Stadium from Saturday. Assam, too, has managed only one point from its first two rounds against Jharkhand and Chandigarh, making this a crucial opportunity for Delhi to secure full points and improve its standing in Group D.Delhi currently has four points, having taken the first-innings lead in the draw against Chhattisgarh before narrowly avoiding defeat against Tamil Nadu. Navdeep Saini is unavailable for this fixture due to his inclusion in the India-A squad for the upcoming tour of Australia.In Saini's absence, Delhi will welcome the return of pacer Harshit Rana, who was traveling as a reserve with the Indian team in the ongoing Test series against New Zealand before being released for this Ranji game. Rana has yet to play for Delhi this season.For Assam, Riyan Parag remains unavailable. The hard-hitting middle-order batter is currently at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, with his next assignment likely to be India's four-match T20I series against South Africa starting on November 8."We are not looking at it as a setback," said Assam captain Denish Das of Parag's absence. "It is a chance for someone else to grab his opportunity. Yes, there will obviously be a gap because he is Assam's best player, but there is an opportunity for a different player."

Harshit Rana Released from Test Set-up, to Join Delhi for Ranji TrophyIndia seamer Harshit Rana has been released from the Test squad and will return to his domestic team, Delhi, for their upcoming Ranji Trophy fixture against Assam. The decision was made at the request of the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA), which is without the services of Navdeep Saini, who has been named in the India A squad for the tour of Australia.Rana, 22, has been serving as a traveling reserve for the Indian Test team during their recent series against New Zealand. While he did not feature in any of the matches, his time with the national side has provided him with valuable experience. He will now get some much-needed game time under his belt as Delhi looks to improve their position in the Ranji Trophy standings.Rana's release from the Test set-up is part of a larger trend of players being released to their domestic teams for competitive match practice. Nitish Kumar Reddy, another traveling reserve, has already been released and has played for Andhra in their last fixture. Mayank Yadav is also expected to be released soon and has been told to prepare for the upcoming T20I series against South Africa.Delhi will be relying heavily on Rana to lead their attack in their crucial home game against Assam. The team has accumulated just four points from their first two games and needs to improve their performance to qualify for the knockout stages. Rana's experience and skill will be vital in helping Delhi achieve their goals.In addition to Rana's return, Delhi has also made other changes to their squad. Opener Dhruv Kaushik has been ruled out for the next 2-3 games due to a hand injury, while Divij Mehra and Money Grewal have been added to the pace department.

Sanat Sangwan's defiant 83 and Navdeep Saini's strategic time-wasting tactics helped Delhi escape with a draw in their second-round Ranji Trophy match against Tamil Nadu at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Monday.Delhi, asked to follow on after conceding a 408-run first-innings lead, faced a daunting task of seeing out 85 overs to avoid an innings defeat. The visitors, led by N. Jagadeesan, were determined to force a result, but Delhi's resilience proved too strong.Sangwan played a pivotal role in Delhi's resistance, consuming 231 deliveries and frustrating the Tamil Nadu bowlers. His innings, which included 10 fours and a six, kept the visitors at bay for over six hours.As the shadows lengthened, Delhi's hopes of a draw rested on the shoulders of Saini and Himanshu Chauhan. With two wickets in hand and just two overs remaining, Tamil Nadu sensed an opportunity. However, Saini's clever time-wasting tactics, including a comical display of injury after being hit on the head, allowed Delhi to survive the final onslaught.Tamil Nadu's bowlers, led by Washington Sundar and S. Ajith Ram, had earlier put in a dominant performance, restricting Delhi to 266 in their first innings. Gurjapneet Singh and Sonu Yadav also chipped in with two wickets each.In their second innings, Delhi lost early wickets but Sangwan's marathon knock steadied the ship. Himmat Singh (36) and Jonty Sidhu (23) provided valuable support, but it was Saini's unbeaten 15 that ultimately sealed the draw.Tamil Nadu, despite their first-innings advantage, were left to rue their missed opportunities. Their decision to bat for a mammoth total in the first innings may have backfired, as it gave Delhi ample time to recover in the second innings.

Delhi's Yash Dhull, battling cramps and dirt-stained flannels, fought valiantly on day three of the Ranji Trophy clash against Tamil Nadu. With minutes remaining before the close of play, Dhull launched a six off Tamil Nadu seamer M. Mohammed, notching up his sixth First Class century.Dhull's unbeaten 103 took Delhi to 264 for 8 at stumps, but the home side still faces a daunting deficit of 410 runs against Tamil Nadu's mammoth 674 for six declared. Top-order batter Dhruv Kaushik is unlikely to bat after suffering a blow to his right thumb while fielding, leaving Dhull and Pranshu Vijayran, who is also nursing a side strain, as Delhi's last batting pair.Tamil Nadu's bowlers flexed their muscle on day three, with Gurjapneet Singh, M. Mohammed, and Washington Sundar claiming two wickets apiece. Sonu Yadav and S. Ajith Ram also contributed with one scalp each. The bowlers inflicted most of the damage during the opening session.Despite Gurjapneet's probing lengths, openers Sanat Sangwan and Harsh Tyagi managed to negotiate the first hour of play. However, Washington's off-spin yielded the opening breakthrough, leading to a cluster of wickets as Delhi slumped from 74 for one to 103 for five at the lunch interval.Dhull and Pranav Rajvanshi showed resilience, adding 75 runs for the sixth wicket in a wicketless second session. But in the very first over after tea, Rajvanshi was snaffled by Andre Siddarth at short leg off Washington, leaving Delhi's hopes of a fightback entirely on Dhull's shoulders.

Washington Sundar's seven-year wait for a First Class century ended in dramatic fashion as he guided Tamil Nadu to a strong position against Delhi in the Ranji Trophy. The 25-year-old's knock of 152 at No. 3 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium showcased his versatility and underlined his potential as a top-order batter.Sundar's prolonged absence from the century club was not due to a lack of form, but rather a reflection of his multiple commitments and batting positions for Tamil Nadu and India. Often relegated to the lower order due to his classification as a spin-bowling all-rounder, he has had to settle for cameos rather than substantial innings.However, his recent performances have demonstrated that he possesses the attributes of a quality top-order batter. In his last Test innings against England in 2021, he was stranded on 96 after coming in at No. 8. His century against Delhi further cements his credentials as a reliable and consistent performer in the classical format."It was a decision by the management, and I'm grateful for the opportunity. I knew it was going to be a good opportunity for me to bat at No. 3," Sundar said after the second day's play.Former India coach Ravi Shastri and ex-Tamil Nadu coach W.V. Raman have both expressed their belief that Sundar can be utilized in the top six in Tests. Sundar himself agrees, stating, "Definitely, I always consider myself to be a top-order batter. Hopefully, I can deliver such knocks very consistently. I have been feeling very confident about how I have been batting in the last few years."Sundar's century is a testament to his hard work and dedication. It also highlights the importance of giving players opportunities to showcase their skills in different roles. With his ability to contribute with both bat and ball, Sundar is a valuable asset to any team and has the potential to become a key player for India in the future.

B. Sai Sudharsan's maiden double century in First-Class cricket propelled Tamil Nadu to a dominant start against Delhi in the Ranji Trophy clash at Arun Jaitley Stadium. The 23-year-old opener's unbeaten 202 formed the cornerstone of Tamil Nadu's imposing 379 for one at stumps on day one.Sudharsan's knock was a testament to his exceptional talent and composure. Despite a couple of close calls, he remained unfazed, showcasing his ability to handle pressure with ease. His innings was a blend of aggression and patience, as he punished loose deliveries while respecting the good ones.The opening partnership between Sudharsan and N. Jagadeesan (65) laid the foundation for Tamil Nadu's strong position. The duo put on 168 runs before Jagadeesan was dismissed by Navdeep Saini. Washington Sundar, playing his first Ranji game of the season, then joined Sudharsan and stitched together a second-wicket stand of 211 runs. Sundar remained unbeaten on 96 at the close of play.Delhi's bowling attack lacked penetration, with only Saini managing to break through. The absence of a frontline pacer was evident, as Pranshu Vijayran was forced off the field due to an ankle sprain.Tamil Nadu will be looking to build on their strong start and put themselves in a commanding position on day two. Sudharsan and Sundar will be key to their hopes, as they aim to extend their partnership and pile on the runs.