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Himmat Singh's poor team selection and misreading of the pitch conditions proved costly for Delhi on the first day of their Ranji Trophy match against Tamil Nadu. B Sai Sudharsan's impressive double century put Tamil Nadu in a dominant position, with the team reaching 379/1 at the end of the day. With this Sudharsan has also turned selectors heads and threw his name in the ring for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-2025 which is slated to start from November 22. Notably, this was also Sudharsan's maiden first-class century.
Sai Sudharsan dazzles with brilliant double ton in Ranji Trophy
Sudharsan's unbeaten 202, which was decorated with 23 fours and a six, was complemented by strong performances from N Jagadeesan (65) and Washington Sundar (96*). Despite the initial appearance of a green pitch, the surface turned out to be flat, making it difficult for Delhi's bowlers to contain the Tamil Nadu batsmen.
Navdeep Saini and Himanshu Chauhan, Delhi's opening bowlers, started the match well, but Sudharsan and Jagadeesan gradually took control. The duo capitalized on the mediocre performance of the Delhi spin bowlers, particularly Harsh Tyagi, who struggled with his length and line.
The decision to exclude left-arm spinner Sumit Mathur, who had a successful debut last season, raised eyebrows among cricket experts. His inclusion could have added much-needed variety to the Delhi bowling attack.
After lunch, Navdeep Saini managed to dismiss Jagadeesan, but Sudharsan remained unfazed. He continued his impressive performance, reaching his century with a boundary off Saini.
Washington Sundar, known primarily as a bowling all-rounder, showcased his batting skills, playing confidently and aggressively. At the end of the day, Sudharsan completed a remarkable double century off 249 balls, taking a single off Harsh Tyagi to reach this milestone.
Earlier this season, he scored a valuable 82 runs off 159 balls against Saurashtra. His consistent performances earned him a spot in the Indian T20I team, where he made his debut against Zimbabwe. Sudharsan's domestic form has been outstanding. He recently scored a century for India C against India A in the Duleep Trophy. Last year, he was a key player for the Gujarat Titans in the IPL, scoring 527 runs, including a blistering 103 off 51 balls against Chennai Super Kings.
