On winning the toss, Haryana skipper Mohit Sharma had no hesitation in putting Andhra in. The decision had been taken a day ago, not because the wicket was going to offer much for the bowlers, but because the team management had faith in its attack featuring four seamers and a leg-spinner.
The bowlers did not let the team down; they restricted Andhra to 217 for six at stumps on the opening day of the Ranji Trophy Group-C match at the Wankhede Stadium here on Thursday. Though it was Yuzvendra Chahal who delivered three of the wickets, it was the pace bowlers who ensured that Andhra could never relax.
Ashish Hooda got Andhra opener K.S. Bharat, held by Himanshu Rana at short-leg with a rising delivery in the fifth over of the day.
However, D.B. Prasanth Kumar, who has been Andhra’s most consistent batsman this season, and captain Hanuma Vihari played sensibly to take their team to lunch without further damage.
Just when it seemed the skipper was finally going to play a significant knock, he left alone a ball from Sanjay Pahal that jagged in sharply, and lost his off stump. He had made 62 (120b, 10x4).
After that, Chahal’s leg-breaks began to bother the batsmen. K. Sreekanth was trapped in front to leave Andhra at 120 for three.
D.B. Ravi Teja, fresh from his twin fifties against Jammu & Kashmir at the nearby Brabourne Stadium a few days ago, and Prasanth then put on 60 for the fourth wicket.
But Chahal struck again.
A fine, diving catch in the slips by Mohit ended the opener’s stay. Prasanth had made a battling 74 (182b, 9x4), his third fifty of the season.
“I should have gone on to make a hundred,” he said.
“But it was not easy batting against Haryana, which probably has the best attack in this group of the Ranji Trophy.
All their four seamers were bowling quickly, and the spinner was getting some assistance from the wicket too.”
Haryana coach Vijay Yadav said he was happy that the bowlers had given him six wickets on the first day.
“It is a good wicket to bat on,” he said. “So getting six wickets for a little over 200 after winning the toss is not at all bad,” he said.
The scores:
Andhra — 1st innings: K.S. Bharat c Rana b Hooda 2, D.B. Prasanth Kumar c Mohit b Chahal 74, Hanuma Vihari b Pahal 62, K. Sreekanth lbw b Chahal 7, D.B. Ravi Teja c Saini b Chahal 38, A.G. Pradeep (batting) 13, Ashwin Hebbar c Paliwal b Mohit 3, D. Siva Kumar (batting) 3; Extras (b-9, lb-5, w-1): 15; Total (for six wkts. in 89 overs): 217.
Fall of wickets: 1-14, 2-107, 3-120, 4-181, 5-200, 6-206.
Haryana bowling: Ashish Hooda 12-3-30-1, Harshal Patel 12-2-46-0, Mohit Sharma 14-2-25-1, Sanjay Pahal 14-5-19-1, Yuzvendra Chahal 29-11-57-3, Chaitanya Bishnoi 7-0-24-0, Rajat Paliwal 1-0-2-0.
Toss: Haryana.
