The Chintan Gaja-led Gujarat attack reduced Rest of India to 206 for nine at stumps on Day 2 after Chirag Gandhi (169) had helped the team to a comfortable 358 in the first innings. Pankaj Singh (7*) and Md Siraj (8*) were at the crease when play ended for the day with ROI trailing by 152 runs.
Gaja dealt the first blow with just 21 runs on the board by sending back Abhinav Mukund. The pacer forced an edge from the opener through to the slips and Samit Gohil took the catch diving to his left. Akhil Herwadkar, who was playing patiently, then partnered Cheteshwar Pujara for 68 runs until he hit Hardik Patel to short leg with the team on 89 for two.
Even as Karun Nair and the ROI captain looked to build a partnership, the Gujarat bowlers put up a disciplined effort to create breakthroughs. Back for his second spell, Gaja struck again to give his side the key wicket of Nair. The bowler took the inside edge through to the wicket-keeper with the team on 136 for three.
Pujara then took the team to Tea at 137 for three with Manoj Tiwary. Gujarat however seized the momentum in the final session of the day. Debutant Mohit Thadani accounted for Tiwary and Wriddhiman Saha to leave ROI wobbling at 170 for five.
After 21 runs with the score on 191, ROI lost three wickets. Left-arm spinner Hardik Patel accounted for Kuldeep Yadav and Ishwar Chaudhary and followed up with the key wicket of Pujara. Attempting to hook the bouncer, the ROI captain only managed a top-edge and his opposite number took the catch. Without a run added to the score line, Shahbaz Nadeem too was sent back by the spinner. Back in the attack Gaja then claimed Siddharth Kaul for a duck and with just a run added to the tally.With Rest of India on the backfoot, Pankaj then saw the side through to the end of day’s play with Siraj.
Earlier, Gujarat lost their last two wickets for the addition of 58 runs after resuming on 300 for eight. Chirag Gandhi who had held the innings together added 33 runs to the overnight score until he was sent back by Siddharth Kaul for 169. In the pacer’s next, he drew an edge from Ishwar Chaudhary through to the slips, however was let off by Abhinav Mukund while on four. In the next over, S Nadeem missed an opportunity to send back Hardik Patel after he had struck Pankaj to gully.
In Pankaj’s next over, Chaudhary nicked him to the slips and Tiwary took the catch to wrap up the innings.
Brief scores:
Day 1: Gujarat 1st inn 300/8 in 88 overs (C Gandhi 136*, M Juneja 47, S Kaul 4/73, P Singh 3/77)
Day 2: Gujarat 1st inn 358/10 in 102.5 overs (C Gandhi 169, H Patel 18*, S Kaul 5/86, P Singh 4/104); ROI 1st inn 206/9 in 72 overs (C Pujara 86, A Herwadkar 48, C Gaja 3/46, H patel 3/73, M Thadani 2/48) Trail by 152 runs
