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Shubman Gill endured a frustrating and brief return to domestic red-ball cricket, failing to make any impact for Punjab on the opening day of their Elite Group B Ranji Trophy encounter against Chhattisgarh in New Chandigarh.
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Shubman Gill’s Difficult Outing in the Ranji Trophy
Walking into this fixture ahead of India’s high-stakes Test series against New Zealand, the right-handed batter and India's Test captain was expected to anchor the batting lineup. However, his time at the crease proved short-lived as he struggled to find his rhythm.
How Gill's dismissal unfolded?
Gill came out to bat at number four following the dismissal of Vihaan Malhotra, who fell on the very first ball of the 26th over. Stepping onto the pitch, Gill faced a tight spell of bowling. He managed to open his account by scoring a single off the second ball he faced.
However, his stay was cut short on the third delivery of the 27th over. Chhattisgarh bowler Ajay Mandal successfully breached Gill’s defensive technique, cleanly bowling him out. Having faced a mere five deliveries, Gill trudged back to the pavilion with just one run to his name, leaving Punjab under pressure at 68 for the loss of three wickets.
Punjab’s innings suffered a jolt following quick breakthroughs by the Chhattisgarh bowling attack, with Gill's early dismissal compounding their troubles. Gill's dismissal left Punjab once teetering at 68/3. But Uday Saharan and Prabhsimran Singh were adamant enough to net give Chhattisgarh bowlers any more chance of grabbing their hold in the match. The duo stood still and took Punjab to 181/3 as of 57.4 overs. While Uday holds the fort unscathed at 60 off 90, Prabhsimran is intact on the crease with an unbeaten 57 off 104.
Gill had joined the Punjab squad as a late addition to tune up his red-ball game ahead of the impending New Zealand Test series commencing on November 19. His schedule remains tight, as he is slated to feature in the first three ODIs of India's five-match series against New Zealand from November 4 to 15, after which Shreyas Iyer will take over the ODI captaincy responsibilities. Despite this minor domestic blip, Gill boasts strong international form this year, accumulating 1,095 runs across 15 matches at an average of 91.25, alongside 200 runs in four Test innings at an average of 50.00.
Shami’s absence for Bengal against Services
While Gill made headlines for his brief appearance on the pitch, senior fast bowler Mohammed Shami sparked discussion by sitting out of Bengal's playing XI for their Ranji Trophy clash against Services.
The team management has not provided an explicit explanation for his absence, raising questions about his sudden exclusion.
This development follows Shami’s impactful performance in Bengal’s season opener against Delhi. As per a report by Sportstar, stepping into the vacant slot for the Services game is his younger sibling, Mohammed Kaif. Shami’s absence further depletes Bengal's frontline bowling unit, which is already missing the key pace duo of Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar due to their selection for the India A tour of New Zealand.
The exclusion stands out given Shami’s steady involvement in domestic cricket, where he recently helped East Zone claim the Duleep Trophy 2026-27 title. Out of national contention since the 2025 Champions Trophy, the veteran pacer was once again bypassed for India’s forthcoming series in New Zealand, making his exclusion from the state side all the more noteworthy.
In Bengal's opening match of the season against Delhi, Shami led the bowling attack effectively. Over the course of the game, he delivered impressive spells, picking up a total of five wickets across the innings (taking four wickets in the first innings and one in the second) while maintaining a tight economy rate to anchor Bengal's bowling unit.
Priyansh Arya belts scintillating ton for Delhi
Elsewhere, Priyansh Arya delivered a masterclass in controlled aggression as Delhi took absolute charge on Day 1 of their Elite Group C Ranji Trophy encounter against Gujarat at the Palam B Ground in Delhi. Opting to bat first after winning the toss, Delhi laid down a strong foundation, riding on Arya's remarkable century, which was his maiden First-Class ton, to propel his side into a commanding position.
Delhi’s innings kicked off on a steady note, though Gujarat’s bowling attack, led by Harshal Patel, kept testing the openers. The first setback occurred at 67 when Sanat Sangwan departed for 8, closely followed by former India U-19 captain Yash Dhull, who fell for 10 after being undone by Patel's double strike. The situation threatened to derail when Ayush Doseja was run out after a promising 29, leaving Delhi in a tricky spot.
However, Priyansh Arya remained unbothered by the quick succession of wickets at the other end. Showing tremendous maturity and pristine footwork, the left-handed opener anchored the innings with great poise. He effectively negotiated the initial discipline of Gujarat's seamers before expanding his repertoire of strokes as the pitch eased out. Arya displayed excellent balance between defense and attack, punishing anything short or straying in line while rotating the strike smoothly.
Supported by Ayush Badoni at the other end, Arya brought up a magnificent century, cementing his reputation as one of Delhi’s most exciting top-order talents in red-ball cricket. His fluid driving through the off-side and authoritative pulling against short-pitched deliveries kept the scoreboard ticking effortlessly. By the time tea was called on the opening day, Arya was batting on an unbeaten 125 alongside Badoni (60*), carrying Delhi to a formidable 249 for three.
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