Ranji Trophy 2015: Staring at 1 pt to pocketing 7, Delhi’s turnaround
Barely 24 hours ago, nobody would have given Delhi an outside chance of claiming seven points from their match against Vidarbha. Vijay Dahiya’s men would have considered themselves lucky if they managed to scrape through with a solitary point. At lunch on Day 3,
Delhi were stuttering at 224/8, still 74 behind Vidarbha’s 298. Gambhir, after having played the sheet anchor’s role to a nicety, was dismissed for 96. This triggered yet another middle-order collapse.
Delhi lost six wickets in the morning session, and had their backs to the wall. The innings needed resurrection, and it came from an unlikely duo – Manan Sharma and debutant Sarang Rawat.
The two put on a 9th wicket stand of 88 runs, which took them close to Vidarbha’s 298. Sharma struck a well compiled 53 to give the hosts a crucial four-run lead.
Ranji Trophy 2015 Group A: Ishant Sharma returns with match figures of 9/47, Delhi earn bonus point
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Ranji Trophy 2015, Group A: Ishant Sharma, Gautam Gambhir keep Delhi ahead
Ranji Trophy: Delhi settle for three points after no play on final day
- Ishant,Sood take four each to give Delhi six points
From looking like garnering just a single point, they had now secured three – courtesy the first innings lead. However, to go for a win, Delhi needed their bowling unit, led by Ishant Sharma, to fire. Fortunately for Gambhir, medium-pacer Pradeep Sangwan too came to party. They shared the first four wickets, including that of Wasim Jaffer to go into the final day as favourties.
In the opening session on Sunday, Delhi held all the aces. Ishant continued from the Pavilion End – from where he had got all his 7 wickets in the match so far.
He was fast and was getting appreciable bounce from a rather insipid Kotla track, Ishant had Vidarbha’s No.3 Ganesh Sathish, one of the overnight batsmen, in strife. He hit good lengths and made Satish fish at deliveries outside the off-stump.
The No.3 finally caved in to the relentless pressure when he played it to the hands of short-leg. Sathish took 73 deliveries to score 10 runs and in the opening hour, Delhi had given away only 14 runs.
Ishant was not done for the day. In his next spell, he removed Jitesh Sharma with a delivery that moved in the air and squared up the Vidarbha wicket-keeper.
Ishant was well supported by Pradeep Sangwan who removed Wagh. Manan Sharma, fresh from his match-defining 53, impressed with the ball. The left-arm spinner proved to be the ideal foil to Delhi’s pacers. He picked up three cheap wickets to end Vidarbha’s agony for 98. This meant Delhi needed 95 to win. A 10-wicket win would give them the bonus point.
Unmukt Chand began positively with a cut shot through point off Wagh. With a low target and the motivation to go for the bonus point propelled Gautam Gambhir to shed his ultra-cautious approach, which he had adopted in the first-innings. Both openers remained unbeaten as Delhi reach the target and with it bagged a bonus point.
Brief Scores: Vidarbha 298 & 98 (Ishant Sharma 3/11), Delhi 302 & (target 94) 96/0 in 14.1 overs (Unmukt Chand 51 no, Gautam Gambhir 45 no). Points: Delhi 7, Vidarbha 0.
Ishant on aggression
New Delhi: Pace and bounce may be Ishant Sharma’s watchwords. But the key to his success has always been his rhythm. Back in the domestic circuit, figures of 9/47 against Vidarbha emphasized the value he brings to the team as a fast bowler. “I am really happy with the way I’m bowling right now. While pace and bounce has been my strength, the important thing is the rhythm, which has really helped me,” he told reporters after his Delhi’s 10-wicket win against Vidarbha.
Ishant will miss the first Test against South-Africa, in Mohali next month. ICC had banned him for a match for his on-field conduct in the third Test against Sri Lanka at the SSC . “I think if you have to dominate the game, you have to be aggressive but not with the words but as to how you approach the game and what you do on the field.”
He reckons his unavailability for the Mohali Test will not be a disadvantage for the hosts. “India does not need Ishant Sharma but Ishant Sharma needs India.”
