Harshit Rana shines with 4-wicket haul as Delhi defeat Assam in Ranji Trophy 2024-25

New Delhi: Harshit Rana, in his debut Test team call-up, showcased his bowling prowess with an explosive opening spell against Assam. However, it was the remarkable innings of keeper-batter Sumit Ghadigaonkar, scoring an unbeaten 120, that propelled the visitors to a solid 264 for 6 at stumps on day one of their Group D Ranji Trophy match.

The fifth-wicket partnership between right-hander Sumit Ghadigaonkar and seasoned Sib Shankar Roy produced a robust 164 runs, while Harshit Rana claimed 4 for 62 in 15 overs to break the stand during his final spell. However, Delhi’s slow over-rate was a concern, as only 76 overs were bowled throughout the day.

The decision by chief selector-head coach duo Gursharan Singh and Sarandeep Singh to field four pacers backfired, as only Harshit Rana, with his bounce and movement, and debutant Money Grewal (1 for 42 in 13 overs) made an impact. In contrast, Himanshu Chauhan (0 for 47) and left-armer Siddhant Sharma (0 for 36) failed to trouble the two in-form Assam batters.

The standout moment of the day was Harshit Rana, who showcased his pace by dismissing opener Subham Mandal (0) and Abhishek Thakuri (0) within three deliveries during his third over.

While Rishav Das (33) and Denish Das (18) contributed 51 runs for the third wicket, debutant Money Grewal claimed his first wicket at the first-class level, and Harshit Rana secured his third, swiftly leaving Assam at 59 for 4.

However, Ghadigaonkar and Roy launched a counter-attack against the Delhi bowlers once the early assistance faded, with Ghadigaonkar even hitting the India international for a couple of sixes. He finished with 15 fours and three sixes, but after left-arm spinner Sumit Mathur (1/64 off 20 overs) dismissed Roy, caught by Sanat Sangwan, Rana swiftly claimed his fourth victim by removing veteran Sarupam Purkayastha.

However, on the second day, Delhi must accelerate their pace if they aim to secure a result, having already lost the first-innings lead against Tamil Nadu in their previous match.

Brief Scores:

– In Delhi: Assam 1st Innings 264/6 in 76 overs (Sumit Ghadigaonkar 120*; Harshit Rana 4/62) vs Delhi.
– In Coimbatore: Chhattisgarh 1st Innings 293/2 in 90 overs (Aayush Pandey 124; Anuj Tiwary 68*, Sanjeet Desai 52*; Ajith Ram 1/73) vs Tamil Nadu.
– In Rajkot: Railways 1st Innings 234 in 73.2 overs (Vivek Singh 65, Yuvraj Singh 67; Yuvrajsinh Dodiya 3/63).

Get the latest news live on Times Now, along with breaking news and top headlines from cricket, sports, and around the world.