Kalyani: Bengal’s spinners put in a patient performance to help their side beat Delhi by nine wickets and pocket six points from their first Ranji Trophy group league match here on Wednesday.
Seven wickets were shared among Amir Gani (2/84), Pradipta Pramanik (3/72) and Sumanta Gupta (2/20) as Bengal shot out Delhi for 277 before chasing down 89 in just 15.3 overs, riding solid knocks from captain Abhimanyu Easwaran (34 no) and debutante Ankur Paul, who hit 38.
The surface frustrated the bowlers throughout the match, and at times Bengal seemed destined to spend the day labouring towards a draw. Instead, a combination of persistence, tactical adjustments and a few crucial errors from Delhi turned the contest around.
Ayush Badoni and Anuj Rawat started the day keen to apply themselves. But the first breakthrough for Bengal came at the end of the first hour, when Rawat tried to unnecessarily reverse sweep Gani and got bowled from behind his legs. Had he not attempted that shot, Delhi would have finished the first session on a stronger note.
With a massive six over long on off Pradipta Pramanik in the 72nd over, Yash Dhull ensured Bengal had to bat again. It was an unexpected turn of events, but not entirely surprising considering the placid pitch that the bowlers have been moaning about.
Bengal toiled away until Mukesh Kumar moved his line toward Yash Dhull, placing a leg slip in position about 20 minutes before lunch. The intention was clear: Bengal was leaving no option unchecked, but the pitch had become too unresponsive by then. Badoni’s aggression was also key to this resilience, often stepping out, sweeping and driving with aplomb. He reached 50 in 74 balls, and a century seemed destined.
Last over before lunch, however, Easwaran punted with Sumanta Gupta’s part-time spin. Second ball, he got the ball to turn, prompting Dhull to pad it, but the ball still managed to kiss his gloves on its way to Easwaran at first slip. Dhull immediately signalled there was no touch, but the umpire slowly raised his finger in the face of a strong appeal. Pressure on Badoni increased with that wicket, as Delhi went into lunch leading only by 10 runs.
Also Read: Yashasvi Jaiswal’s wicket-keeping experiment: Solution to selection struggle or unnecessary detour?
Fourth over after lunch, Badoni folded. Pramanik went over the wicket, angling the ball across Badoni, who nudged at it hesitantly, giving a low catch by Easwaran at first slip. Gone for 85, Badoni left Delhi hanging on to a 24-run lead. But Divij Mehra scored a vigilant 21, and Navdeep Saini resisted with a 70-ball 20 to push Delhi to 277, leaving Bengal needing 89 to win.
Paul ensured the chase was anything but sedate. On debut, the youngster came out swinging, missing several deliveries but connecting often enough to keep the target within easy reach. Easwaran provided the steadier presence at the other end, finding gaps and ensuring the scoreboard kept moving.
A straight six off Divij Mehra gave Paul’s innings its first real momentum. He followed it with a ramped boundary against Simarjeet Singh, moving into the thirties as Bengal crossed 50. Yash Dhull dropped him at third man in the 10th over, but by then the outcome was beginning to look inevitable.
Paul eventually fell for 38, caught in the deep with Bengal needing only 25 more runs. The dismissal ended hopes of securing a bonus point, but it did little to diminish the value of his contribution. Easwaran, unbeaten on 34, saw Bengal home alongside Sudip Gharami as the hosts completed the chase in just 15.3 overs.
For Bengal coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla, the contest had offered precisely the sort of competitive cricket a first-class season demands.
“This is the kind of match you want to see,” he said, praising both teams for their efforts. Of Paul’s debut innings, Shukla added that his batting was a “positive sign for the team”.
Bengal will take particular encouragement from how their spinners persisted on a surface that offered little assistance. Delhi had appeared capable of batting their way towards safety, but Bengal kept asking questions until the visitors supplied the mistakes that changed the game.
The victory was not the product of one decisive spell or a dramatic collapse. It was earned through a succession of small gains, with Bengal’s patience eventually proving more valuable than Delhi’s resistance.