Mohammed Siraj stood tall with a brilliant four-wicket haul to help Hyderabad peg back Chhattisgarh and skittle them out for 283 in their first innings on Day 1 of their Ranji Trophy clash at the Gymkhana Ground.
Hyderabad captain Mohammed Siraj led from the front with a commanding performance, finishing Day 1 with impressive figures of 4/56 from his 17 overs. His clinical pace bowling was complemented by a disciplined collective effort from the rest of the attack. Tanay Thyagarajan, CTL Rakshan, Kodimela Himateja, and Aniketh Reddy all chipped in with crucial breakthroughs, ensuring that Chhattisgarh was kept under constant pressure throughout their innings.
Despite the bowling onslaught, Chhattisgarh found a hero in middle-order batter Prateek Yadav, who struck an aggressive 106 runs off just 99 deliveries. His knock, punctuated by 10 boundaries and a six, provided the necessary momentum for his side. He was well-supported by Vikalp Tiwari, though Tiwari suffered the heartbreak of missing out on a century, falling for a well-constructed 94 off 143 balls. Their contributions were the cornerstone of the Chhattisgarh total before the Hyderabad bowlers eventually regained control.
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By the close of play, Hyderabad's openers had provided a solid response, reaching 56/0 at stumps. Aman Rao Perala and Abhirath Reddy showed composure at the crease, remaining unbeaten with scores of 32 and 23 respectively. While Hyderabad still trails by 227 runs heading into Day 2, their flawless start with the bat has set a positive tone for their pursuit of Chhattisgarh's first-innings total.
In a separate high-stakes Ranji Trophy encounter, wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel delivered a vital performance for Uttar Pradesh, scoring a gritty 96 off 122 balls. His innings, which featured 11 boundaries, was the cornerstone of the visitors' first-innings total of 237. Jurel's efforts were particularly significant as he helped rescue the side from a precarious 109/6, forming a resilient 92-run partnership with Shivam Mavi (47) to ensure the team reached a competitive score.
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By the end of Day 1, Vidarbha had made a steady start to their reply, reaching 33/0 in 12 overs. Openers Aman Mokhade and Satyam Bhoyar showed great patience against the new ball, remaining unbeaten with scores of 19 and 13, respectively. Heading into Day 2, the hosts trail by 204 runs, with all ten wickets in hand and a solid platform to build upon.